Ordinary World
by BugeishaKyasarin
Summary: Modern AU. Senshi/Shitennou. College presents its own set of tribulations for ten average girls and boys. They come from all walks of life with very differing personalities and views of the world. As they find themselves inexplicably drawn together, they unite to discover these mysterious forces at work, and in the process realize how extraordinary their world truly is.
1. I: Use Somebody

_**Disclaimer**: Obviously I do not own Sailor Moon._  
_Feel free to leave any comments, questions or suggestions!_

* * *

**Chapter One: Use Somebody**

Tsukino Usagi was not a morning person. Never in a million years would she wake up at the crack of dawn to go jogging with Makoto along the waterfront, no matter how many hot guys she claimed to pass every day. Saturday morning was sacred. Usagi had stayed up late the night before completing all her math homework and _deserved_ to sleep in. Because she had classes every day from ten in the morning to four in the afternoon, she wanted to spend her weekends relaxing, not exercising.

Makoto always teased her best friend that eating so much without burning off the calories was going to make her fat. She'd been saying this since their second year of middle school but Usagi's metabolism hadn't gotten the memo. To that end, Makoto spited it by using her culinary skills to only make healthy food. Once she had finished her jog and returned to the apartment overlooking Elliott Bay, she took a shower, dressed casually and began concocting a stack of waffles for her roommates.

She didn't have to wait long for their delicious scent to summon someone. Michiru drifted into the kitchen, and even though her wavy dark chocolate hair was a tangled mess, she still radiated elegance in silk pajamas. She went straight to the pot of coffee Makoto had already brewed and poured some into a mug reading "my violin gives me superpowers". Makoto set a plate of three waffles and a pitcher of syrup before the prodigy and stood back with a smile.

"These are perfect…" Michiru sighed after the first bite. "What's your secret?"

"Whole wheat flour, local organic honey, organic bananas, cinnamon, and real vanilla beans."

Michiru nodded her satisfaction as Makoto poured batter for many more waffles to satiate Usagi. However, even the smell of warm blackberry syrup didn't rouse the blonde. Once Michiru had finished eating and put her dishes in the washer, she went into the bedroom her friends shared. Makoto's half was extremely clean; her bed was made, her dirty clothes were in a basket, and her nightstand was well-organized. Usagi's half of the room featured clothes both dirty and clean on the floor, a bookshelf completely packed with manga, video games and action figures, and various Nintendo consoles circling her bed. She was like a bird among a nest of cords.

"Good morning, Usa-chan!" Michiru tried. Her amber eyes glittered with the hope that Usagi would wake peacefully, but she didn't even stir. Michiru then gently shook her shoulder. Again there was no movement and she pursed her lips.

Usagi was in fact awake and smiling into her pillow as she pictured the violin player's vexation. She was not expecting the pillow to suddenly be yanked out from beneath her head, which solicited a yelp.

"Oh good, you're up," Michiru said sweetly before leaving.

"Breakfast is ready!" Makoto called. Usagi glanced at her clock. It read 10:07 and she groaned loudly before abandoning the warmth of her bed. She shuffled to the kitchen table, plopped into a chair, and opened her mouth widely. "I'm not going to _feed_ you," the cook said disdainfully. "We're in college for pity's sake."

"It's too early for motor skills," Usagi returned through a yawn. Michiru reached over to pinch her arm and she swatted at the manicured hand.

"You seem more than capable of using a fork like a civilized person." After finishing her cup of coffee, the morning dreariness fell off Michiru like a veil, revealing the vigor in her eyes. "Thank you for breakfast, Mako-chan. I'll pick up something for dinner on my way home so you don't have to cook again."

"I vote for pizza!" Usagi shouted, suddenly perky. But her friends shook their heads and she pouted. Michiru wouldn't say what she had in mind and left the younger girls to their morning as she retreated to the master bedroom. They ate in silence with occasional sighs of delight coming from Usagi, who ate six waffles to Makoto's two. "You're going to waste away if you keep exercising so much and eating so little," the blonde said while gathering their dishes.

Makoto crossed her arms defensively. "It's only ten-thirty. If you're really so worried about me, I'll have a big lunch." She paused, putting a thoughtful finger to her lips. "What should we do today? We haven't ridden the Great Wheel yet, or the carousel at Westlake."

"Actually, I was thinking we should spruce this place up a bit." Usagi moved her hands in a big arch to indicate the whole apartment. Since Michiru had moved to Seattle to attend Argosy University she'd been too busy with her job as a music tutor to really decorate. Then when Usagi and Makoto came to live with her in June they'd gotten jobs right away to help with living costs. Because they were now both students at the Art Institute, their work hours had been slightly decreased and they had plenty of time to do some serious shopping in the Emerald City.

Using the black leather furniture and moonlight-white walls as a blank canvas, Usagi and Makoto browsed independent studios and antique stores for pieces to raise their apartment to its full sophisticated potential. They agreed to augment it with décor in varying shades of blue and violet, colors all three girls liked, and bought vintage lamps, rugs and quirky artwork that fit the bill. They arranged for most of it to be delivered to the apartment later that day.

While taking a break in Pioneer Square, a poster caught Makoto's attention. "There's a horticulture fair at Bastyr University," she relayed.

Usagi smiled, knowing her friend had an affinity for house plants. "Where's that? Should we check it out?"

"Ooh, they also have a fully organic menu in their dining commons!" That pretty much meant they were going. After consulting the map app on Usagi's phone they hopped on a bus to the University District, then transferred to another bus going to Kenmore at the north end of Lake Washington. When they arrived at the beautifully wooded campus Makoto grew excited upon seeing myriad bright blossoms arranged beneath white canopies, like a farmer's market.

"Now Mako-chan, don't—" But Usagi didn't get the chance to finish before the bus doors opened and her best friend flew down the steps. Makoto loved plants that much. "Go overboard…" she finished with a sigh, following less energetically. She perked up, however, upon realizing how many cute guys were wandering around and her lips froze in their signature flirty smile. She received a lot of double-takes since no one was accustomed to seeing a typical Japanese girl with such atypical true-blue eyes and golden hair.

At the opposite end of the fair, Makoto was in botanical heaven. She practiced self-restraint and limited herself to returning home with only two plants. Right away she fell in love with a bright red bromeliad in an attractive pot. The guy at the table locked eyes with her, summoning her with a megawatt smile. "How much?" Makoto asked.

"For you? Let me see…"

She wasn't one to stand around and let men make decisions for her. In high school guys were always trying to tell her what to do, so she hadn't dated much. There was a brief involvement with a guy who worked at her and Usagi's favorite arcade, which had been nice because he was a mature college student, but their break-up had been mutual. She was moving to the US and he wanted a serious college girl.

Makoto whipped out her wallet (it lived in her back pocket because she hated purses), glanced into it and winced. She actually had over two-hundred dollars left since she'd gotten paid a few days ago, but there was nothing wrong with trying to make it last.

"How about fifty?" the boy suggested.

That was already far less than the bromeliad's worth. It was huge– someone had obviously taken good care of it. Its leaves were deep green without any evidence of rot and the flower itself was almost a foot tall. Makoto considered guilting him down another ten bucks but her conscience overruled. "Fifty," she agreed, surrendering a bill. The pot would match the rest of the décor she and Usagi had chosen, too. Everybody won.

With one of her long arms wrapped around the bromeliad, Makoto carefully perused the rest of the fair. Most people stepped out of her way but there were a few kids running amok; luckily she was tall enough to hold the pot over their heads. Eventually she spied a shelf full of orchids in a dizzying variety of shapes and colors, but she decided to match the bromeliad and only looked at red and orange ones. She ended up choosing _Lycaste nissenae_ and _Phaelaenopsis equestris rosea_, two varieties she was assured would do well indoors. However, she quickly realized it was impossible to heft the large bromeliad and two orchid pots, so she set all three down on a vacant table and stared at them, perplexed. Where was Usagi when she could make herself useful?

"Pardon me, do you want some help with those?"

Makoto turned around to see a broad, muscular chest. The man's sculpted pecs strained against his purple t-shirt reading "Fear the Dawgs". Makoto, while considered tall for a Japanese girl, had to crane her neck to view his face. She saw he was around her age; not a man at all, just some guy. He had auburn hair and narrow brown eyes. His skin was the envy of people who artificially tanned.

She decided the guy was kind of attractive. His square jaw was offset by a big, blinding smile, one that said he genuinely wanted to help her and didn't think it would lead to getting in her pants. "Sure…" Makoto answered after her assessment, "you can carry these orchids for me." The guy faltered for an instant and she smirked, knowing he had expected the bromeliad. She was no fragile maiden; she jogged every morning and still practiced karate. She simply concealed her muscle tone.

"Where to?" the boy asked, holding the delicate orchids out of harm's way.

"I need to find my friend," Makoto said. "She's short with curled blonde hair, blue eyes and is wearing a pink sundress." As an afterthought she added, "Her name's Usagi."

He nodded and began glancing around as he followed her through the crowd. "And what's your name?"

"Makoto Kino," she tersely replied.

"That's Japanese, right?" She grunted as a confirmation, not quite in the mood for small-talk. Thankfully the guy got the hint and trailed her in silence until they arrived in the middle of a field flanked by tall trees. "I didn't see her," he said. "Did she go into the building?" Makoto _had_ made that comment about the dining commons… And Usagi had a black hole for a stomach. Before she could suggest they head inside, he spoke again. "What's her last name?" After providing it she watched his chest inflate, and then he bellowed, "USAGI TSUKINO! YOU'RE WANTED ON THE GREEN!"

Within moments Usagi emerged from the flower booths. She faltered upon seeing the giant boy standing beside Makoto and approached cautiously. "There you are!" she said to her friend, "I had no idea where you ran off to! Who's this?"

"I'm the oke holding the flowers," he answered, grinning.

"I _love_ your accent!" Usagi exclaimed. "Where are you from?"

Makoto had noticed it, too. "Usa-chan, _we_ have accents. Don't be rude."

His shrug was a huge motion. "It's all right. I'm from Johannesburg."

"Where's that?" Makoto rolled her eyes; her BFF was terrible at geography.

"South Africa. And my name's Nicholas." His offered hand completely enveloped Usagi's when she met it.

"Great, good, terrific," Makoto sighed. "Now that we've all been introduced, it's time for us to go. The bus will be here any minute."

Usagi gave her friend a very specific look. It said: _"This guy's cute! He's athletic and if he's here he must like plants! Give him your number."_

Makoto's return look said: _"Hell no."_

When their mental conversation was finished Usagi's eyes narrowed and she gave a small, devious smile. "So, Nicholas, do you have a last name?"

"Meyer," he answered.

"Do you go to school around here?"

He glanced down at his shirt and looked astonished. "You don't know the dawgs, the Huskies? I go to UW."

She giggled airily. "Sorry, I should have realized! We're kind of new to Seattle."

His smile was barely forgiving. "Here comes your bus," Nicholas said, handing the orchids to Usagi. "Nice meeting you both." The blonde watched him walk away while Makoto stared straight ahead, speaking as soon as he was out of earshot.

"Why'd you give him an inquisition? I just needed him to hold my plants. I didn't want to hear his life story."

Usagi rolled her eyes as they boarded. "You can be such an ice queen sometimes! You didn't even know his name until I came along."

"You made everything _awkward_ when you came along. So what if he had an accent? What if he's self-conscious about it? Who cares where he's from or what school he goes to? We are never going to see him again."

Her last sentence was so pointed that Usagi knew it would be futile to keep discussing why Nicholas Meyer seemed like good boyfriend material. He was tall, he was buff, he was handsome in a rugged way, he probably played sports and he had seemed friendly enough. Makoto hadn't even given him a chance to grow on her! But Usagi would give her another one. She knew his full name and that he went to the University of Washington. She could find him in the student directory and get his email address, which she would use to tell him where Makoto worked. _'Fate works in mysterious ways, Mako-chan!'_

* * *

Chiba Mamoru liked eating at Amabie. It was a sushi bar-tea house that didn't serve coffee like most places in Seattle, and he typically ordered green tea with honey while doing homework. One wall of the eatery was an aquarium full of tropical fish and the others were decorated with nautical items and classical Japanese artwork, including woodblock paintings. Glass float balls and sculptures hung from the ceiling, providing a very calm environment. It was the perfect place for him to focus. He had the misfortune of moving into an apartment complex with neighbors who liked to party and blast annoying music.

Amabie was south of the U District in an area called Montlake. Mamoru had discovered the tea house by accident: someone in his research group had mentioned the Japanese garden in Washington Park and, desperate for some semblance of home, he'd gone to check it out only to become rather lost. He ended up on the south end of the golf course and walked into Amabie to ask for directions, but had lunch before going home. He'd been a regular ever since.

At two-thirty Mamoru was seated at his usual table and working on his dissertation when the bells on the door jingled. He surreptitiously gazed at the girl wearing a dark blue cook's uniform. She was the dessert-maker, the one who put trays of miniature sweets in the cold case. Mamoru admitted that the girl looked more alluring than the things she created. Her wavy golden brown hair was always worn in a high ponytail and her vivid green irises were impossible to ignore. She was tall, but that was likely attributed to her Caucasian parent as were her eyes that lacked an epicanthic fold.

Genetics were an important aspect of the academic regime Mamoru followed at UW. It helped that he'd been interested since childhood. He liked guessing the heritages of those around him, always observing in silence. Seattle offered a very diverse range of people to study and allowed him to remain incognito. He didn't stand out at all but the girl who made desserts did, and every day he tried working up the courage to talk to her. He just didn't want to come across as a total geek.

_"Forget about her and get back to work,"_ the logical part of his mind demanded. He obliged it by continuing to research arguments for and against vaccinations, a tiresome subject. Everyone had opinions to support both sides; everyone claimed to have research that refuted the other. Researching research was sometimes a task in of itself because studies were supported by statistics and statistics could be manipulated to produce certain results. So far he'd come to a general consensus that Asian and European studies had more trustworthy results than their American equivalents, especially those regarding effective cancer treatments.

"Whatcha reading?" someone asked from beyond his shoulder. Mamoru jumped in surprise and rotated to face the upbeat redheaded waitress, who grinned back at him. "Are you going to have something besides tea today?"

"I don't think so…" he answered, but trailed off when his stomach rumbled in protest. He cringed as the waitress laughed and held up her notepad expectantly, then Mamoru skimmed the menu. "I'd like the number five combo and another pot of tea, please."

"Combo number five," the redhead repeated. She shouted the order into the kitchen and was answered by a chorus of "mambo number five!" followed by the obnoxious ninety's song emanating from the speakers.

_'At least they know how to have fun…'_ Mamoru smiled ruefully to himself and resumed his research. Sometime later his food arrived and he ate absentmindedly, engrossed by an article claiming the H1N1 virus had been artificially engineered for population control. Then he caught someone in his peripheral vision and turned from his laptop. The dessert chef was walking past him!

Mamoru straightened and locked his eyes on her, following her to a booth opposite the room. She sat down across from a girl with blonde, curled, shoulder-length hair. His gaze slipped to this other girl, tracing the clingy fabric of her pink dress down her narrow torso to the equally slender legs beneath the table. He wondered if she was a model. Then, in slight horror, he wondered if she was the dessert chef's _girlfriend_.

He checked the time and balked. It was almost six o'clock already! He hadn't left his seat in three hours! Mamoru stood up and was unable to restrain a groan as his joints popped into action. It was loud enough to draw the girls' attention, and he froze. The brunette wore an expression that clearly said "you're a workaholic" and the blonde looked sympathetic. Mamoru went to the restroom, and then meandered outside for some fresh air. It was late September and twilight was just about to surrender to full night. He went back inside and was surprised to see the blonde girl sitting at his table. He approached cautiously.

"My friend says you're a regular here and thinks you need a pick-me-up." She indicated for him to sit down, giving a warm smile. "I ordered mocha mochi ice cream. It's better than coffee."

Mamoru was a bit dumbfounded. "Uh, thanks…" he managed. The girl was texting away on her cell phone. "But they don't serve coffee here."

"I know," she said without looking up, "but there's like a million Starbucks in this city and the mocha mochi ice cream my friend makes gives you a much better zing." She tucked her phone away and flashed a set of perfect teeth. "So what's your name? Everyone's dying to know."

"Everyone?" Mamoru repeated in confusion. The girl's eyes darted to something beyond him and he turned around, seeing all the female workers clustered behind the counter. They giggled and started whispering to each other as he faced forward again, a blush spreading up his neck. They were all interested in _him_? The blonde stared at him expectantly. "I'm, uh, Chiba Mamoru," he stammered.

"Nice to meet you, Chiba-san," she chirped. "I'm Tsukino Usagi. For future reference, those girls are Rachel, Cami, April, Jessica and Makoto."

"You can call me Mamoru," he smiled. "Is Makoto the, um, pastry chef?"

Usagi's eyes widened before she laughed. Mamoru imagined it was the sound a fairy would make. "How'd you know that? She's not a pastry chef _yet_, but that's why she's going to the Art Institute. I go there too. I'm studying fashion merchandising." He nodded slowly while she leaned forward. "So what are _you_ studying?"

"Oh, me?" He was severely without class tonight. "I'm in the pathology program at the UW school of medicine."

Usagi beamed at this. "So that explains this book, _Greatest Diseases of the Twenty-first Century_. I thought you just had some morbid interests." He knew she was teasing and smiled sheepishly. They chatted for a bit about college life –Usagi was a freshman, Mamoru a senior– until April, the redhead, brought their ice cream. There wasn't really anything mochi about it other than the fact that Makoto used rice milk instead of cow's milk.

"This is good," Mamoru commented after a few bites. "The consistency is lighter than gelato."

"I've never tried that," Usagi said. She turned the spoon upside-down in her mouth as the boy's eyes widened.

"You've never had _gelato?_" He was aghast. Gelato was one of his only vices. "I'll have to show you this Italian bistro downtown, then. They also make great spumoni."

Usagi smiled broadly. "Okay, it's a date." She realized what she said and her expression fell, her words tumbling out. "I don't mean a _date_-date. I barely know you! Jeez, that'd be weird." She chuckled nervously and Mamoru bit his lip. _'Way to embarrass yourself in front of a cute guy…'_

He scraped the liquefied ice cream out of the bowl. "So, uh, how long as your friend been working here?"

"Since June. As soon as we moved in with our other friend we went job hunting. This place was a little further than Mako-chan wanted to commute, but the owner really loves her cooking. Or baking. Whatever. She makes more than minimum wage."

June, huh? Too bad he only discovered Amabie last month. "Where do _you_ work?"

Usagi looked extremely pleased with herself. "I got hired at Nordstrom. My employee discount is so awesome. And I'm, like, right in the middle of the fashion center. There's Levi's nearby, Juicy Couture, Nike, H&M…" She stopped upon noticing Mamoru's blank expression and examined his attire. He was wearing an unlabeled black jacket over a grey pinstriped shirt– blander than bland. Usagi glanced at her phone to check the time and realized it was almost seven. They'd been talking for a whole hour and Makoto's shift was just about to end. The brunette appeared in time to rescue her from the awkward silence. "It was nice talking to you, Mamoru-kun. I'll probably see you again since you come here all the time."

He sat there for a moment. On the one hand he was saddened that he hadn't gotten to share a single word with Makoto, but on the other Usagi had been very easy to converse with. He generally tried not to interact with complete strangers yet had made an exception for her. Maybe he'd been overwhelmed by her personality. "It was nice meeting you too, Usagi-chan. I won't forget about that gelato date." The corner of his lips turned up in hopes that she'd laugh. Instead redness tinged her cheeks and her gaze lowered to the floor. Suddenly Mamoru knew that they'd made a connection and he had to get to know her better.

But would she want to see _him_ again? There was nothing physically remarkable about Mamoru. He was a tall but rather lanky. Some even called him malnourished because he tended to study right through any regular eating schedule he tried adhering to. And he didn't consider himself handsome by any means, although he was proud of his atypical eyes. They were deep blue in color, dark and enigmatic.

Usagi met them when Makoto tugged on her elbow. "I can't wait for it," she said shyly. Then they left and Mamoru fell back into his chair, realizing he'd been sitting on the edge. He glanced around and learned he was the only customer left in the tea house. _'Time to go home,'_ he thought, and gathered his many books and papers into his bag. After securing his laptop in its case he stepped out into the cool night air.

His classes began early but he couldn't sleep. He paced his apartment in Radford Court, going over scenarios in which he made a good impression on Usagi. He hadn't gotten her number so he couldn't call and work out the details of their date. The more he internally said that word, the more anxious he became. He barely had any experience in the dating department having gone out with approximately one girl in high school. That relationship lasted for five months before she got fed up with the fact that Mamoru wanted to study instead of spend time with her. Only a total loser like him would choose cram school over hanging out while her parents were on vacation.

He was older but hardly wiser when it came to this ritual. What would he wear? Usagi had not hidden her disdain for his attire. Fashion was important to her, but he thought it was trivial. He couldn't drive her around because he didn't own a car, thus forcing them to depend on public transportation. Would she let him be chivalrous and hold doors for her? What if she wanted to hold his hand while they walked around? What if she wanted a kiss before he got on the bus home?

Mamoru was interrupted by a knock at his door. He briskly went to the entryway and opened it, finding a sleepy-eyed guy in pants and no shirt trying to glare at him. "Dude, it's two in the morning. I've been listening to you walk around through my ceiling for hours. Could you go to sleep or something?"

"I'm really sorry," Mamoru said. "I'm just really nervous about a date I have with a really pretty girl." He didn't care how pathetic that made him sound.

The guy actually grinned. "Oh, I've been there. The more you think about every little detail, the scarier it gets. Don't psyche yourself out. Get some rest, dude." Mamoru just nodded and closed the door, feeling guilty that he'd disturbed someone. He was just as bad as his neighbors on Friday nights.

It was times like this he wished he had an older brother to ask for advice, or even a father figure. He'd been orphaned at the age of six after his parents died in a car crash. Even worse was the fact that he couldn't remember them or his own name upon waking up in the hospital. Doctors and police officers kept repeating things to him until he accepted them as the truth, but deep down he always wondered if he really was Chiba Mamoru. No extended family members had shown up to become his guardian so he'd lived in an orphanage for a few years until being adopted by a wealthy old man.

This man was the Benefactor. He didn't want to be called "Dad" or "Father." He didn't really want any connection with Mamoru at all besides paying for absolutely everything he could want or need. The Benefactor had paid for him to attend a prestigious middle school even though his scores had been mediocre. The Benefactor paid for night school courses so Mamoru could test into an even more exclusive high school. People on the streets sometimes stared at his uniform, admiring his presumable genius from afar.

Mamoru _was_ quite gifted with mental medical matters. Part of it was due to his obsession with trying to reverse his amnesia. He'd read everything on the subject and even flown around the world to meet with experts. The last doctor he'd visited had regarded him rather pityingly and said that if his mind wanted him to regain his lost memories, it would do so of its own accord. There was nothing he could do to force them to come back. Therapy hadn't worked. Hypnosis hadn't worked. Mamoru had even gone on spiritual journeys with the help of illegal substances, none of which had freed his mind like they were supposed to.

He'd given up after high school. He realized that if he kept trying to obtain the impossible he'd end up in an insane asylum. Even though he was now pursuing a PhD in pathology, he didn't desire it as much as he'd wanted to cure his amnesia. He accepted the fact that he couldn't help himself, but he _could_ help other people. Maybe one day he'd even be able to prevent debilitating mental diseases.

_'I'm completely crazy,'_ he thought as he slumped onto the sofa. _'I have no business trying to act normal. I should forget all about Usagi-chan…'_ But try as he might, he just couldn't get her smiling face out of his mind. He felt himself returning the smile to her mental image, then closed his eyes and allowed himself to dream.


	2. II: I Found You

**Chapter Two: I Found You**

Joe needed a new place to live. Since moving into Radford Court he'd been subjected to aural torment every Friday and most Saturdays. It had been worse during the summer when subwoofer-powered EDM made his walls vibrate. Much to his chagrin most of the building's tenants attended these legendary parties, so the landlord paid his single complaint no mind.

During the night of September's third Saturday, Joe became suspicious when the clock struck eight and the third floor remained silent. He worked on the paper for his sustainability project until eleven, and then he fell asleep. There was still a niggling fear that he'd get woken up in an hour and not be able to rest until four in the morning when the music usually stopped, but the whole building was quiet. He found himself waking up after midnight anyway due to the slight sound coming from his ceiling.

He listened to the creaks and groans for a few minutes, realizing the occupant above him was pacing. It wasn't loud but the rhythm grated his nerves: ten steps to the left, a slight pause, then eight steps to the right and another pause. Finally he got out of bed at two, not bothering to put on a shirt as he entered the stairwell and went up. He knocked on the door of the apartment directly above his.

A dorky-looking Asian guy answered, and when Joe chastised him about his pacing he explained that he was nervous for a date. Joe could relate to that anxiety; he'd been a total dork too at age thirteen, but he grew out of that phase rather quickly. The genes from his Russian father and Czech mother had turned him into a stunning young man. During the last few years at his Catholic school, girls had practically thrown their panties at him and whispered all kinds of explicit suggestions into his ear.

There had been pressure from his parents to attend university in his hometown so he might attract the eye of an administrator's daughter, but Joe didn't want to get into politics. He wanted to do something meaningful. He'd always felt connected to nature, and because pollution was a growing concern in his hometown of Vladivostok, he decided to study environmental science at the University of Washington.

He spent Sunday morning browsing housing ads in the newspaper, knowing there was nothing available in the U District. He was definitely _not_ going to join a frat. A tiny ad eventually caught his eye, reading:

_Roommates wanted for home in Shoreline. $500/month rent includes all utilities & TV/internet. Call to schedule an interview._

Shoreline was a ways north of campus, but Joe owned a vehicle and didn't mind commuting. Mantikora was his '88 Suzuki Samurai so named because it was comprised of Toyota, Jeep and Chevy parts. He dialed the provided number and was slightly disappointed to get an answering machine. "Hi, my name is Josef Levin and I saw your housing ad in the paper. I'm a senior at the University of Washington and I have a stable job, so if I seem like someone you could live with, give me a call at this number…" He hated leaving messages; they made him sound so robotic. He'd hoped a woman would answer so he could use his charming voice and get interviewed today. Ah well.

After showering, shaving and getting dressed Joe returned to his kitchenette and saw he'd missed a call. _"Mr. Levin? Sorry I didn't answer you earlier. I'd like to meet today if you have the time."_ He jammed the receiver into his ear, straining to write down the address; it was a bit hard to hear because the speaker had a thick Irish accent. He put the phone back and grinned at his hurried handwriting. The house on Cherry Loop in Shoreline could very well be his salvation.

Mantikora rumbled down the highway, his loud exhaust drowning out the noise of traffic. When he crept up behind fancy new Beamers and Mercedes they switched lanes to get out of his way. Manny was pretty intimidating on the outside with his lift, big tires, steel bumpers and diamond plate over a black metallic paint job. He was even more special on the inside thanks to a conversion from the puny 1.3-liter inline four to a Chevy Vortec V6. Manny had started out as Joe's daily driver but had quickly been outfitted to serve as the environmental class's rescue rig.

Joe felt bad when he roared onto Cherry Loop, a quiet neighborhood of mansions nestled among trees. _'The ad couldn't possibly be for one of these houses…'_ But the address confirmed that he was in the right area. He turned down a driveway, parked in front of a three bay garage, and apprehensively walked up the front steps. Joe rang the doorbell and could hear it echoing through the interior. He grew nervous as he wondered what kind of person lived here. The guy on the phone hadn't sounded very old. Maybe this was his parents' vacation home and they wanted to make extra money by renting it out. Had he read the ad correctly? Was it really only going to cost him five-hundred bucks a month to live in this gigantic house with everything included?

The door opened, revealing a guy who immediately held out his hand. Joe gripped it firmly and they shook. "Mr. Levin?" he asked.

"Yeah, Josef. Call me Joe." He thought it was weird for someone his age to address him as "mister".

"Joe. I'm Kaelan Burke. Come on in."

He was almost overwhelmed when he stepped inside. The interior seemed vast, probably because it was mostly empty. The walls were bare and skylights illuminated the vaulted ceilings. Straight ahead of the entry was what looked like the living room. Old leather couches sat around a huge fireplace, and off to the left was a staircase with a carved wooden railing. The floors were all hardwood, probably oak or cherry, and appeared recently refinished. Joe stopped taking in his surroundings and focused on the owner. "Did you say Burke? As in—"

"Yes, as in the Burke Museum." He smiled a little. "Thomas Burke was my great-great grandfather."

Joe was astounded. He _loved_ going to the museum; he saw and learned new things each time. He was standing before the descendant of a man who'd had a profound influence on Seattle. It was hard not to be in awe even if Kaelan did looked a little strange. His skin was pale and his eyes were cool grey. He had platinum hair, which was really odd, but his eyebrows and lashes were silvery as well.

Kaelan noticed his guest staring and gave a slight sigh. "I have a melanin deficiency. You were expecting freckles, red hair and green eyes, yeah?"

Joe felt guilty. "Yeah. I shouldn't have assumed…" He shook his head, hoping he hadn't sabotaged his chances of moving in. "So the interview?"

"Right. This way, please." Kaelan left the foyer and turned down a hall that led to the kitchen. As Joe had expected, it was enormous. There were new stainless appliances, a large granite-topped island, and a breakfast nook with a bay window overlooking the surrounding woods and the water beyond. An opening on the opposite side of the kitchen led to the dining room, but the table and chairs were covered with moving blankets.

"How long have you lived here?" Joe asked.

"A couple weeks," Kaelan answered, earning a look of surprise. "I moved here because my granddad left me this house in his will."

"Oh… I'm sorry for your loss." The words were automatic, but Kaelan shrugged off the condolence.

"I didn't really know him," he said. "He was my dad's dad, and _he_ didn't stick around after I was born. It was just me and my mom until a couple months ago. One day I'm working at the fish market in Kinsale and the next I get this letter saying I've got to come to America to claim an inheritance." He smiled at Joe's wide green eyes. "This house isn't even the best part. The old man left me a big chunk of the family fortune. I'm talking _millions_."

"Wow, so you're set for life, eh?" Joe shook his head at the impossibility of suddenly inheriting a fortune and briefly wondered if he had any estranged relatives. "Why do you want roommates, then? You'd no longer have this place all to yourself."

Kaelan closed his eyes and Joe got the sense he was giving the question profound consideration. "I could go wild with all this money, you know. But my mum said I should use it to build a future for myself. I have to be responsible. And I thought… maybe I should try to do something meaningful like Thomas Burke did. Honor the family name and all that." He shrugged again but Joe was smiling at their shared belief in making a difference.

And there was something else about Kaelan he couldn't quite figure out. It was like he knew him from somewhere, but Ireland and Vladivostok were a few thousand miles apart. Joe tried to suppress his feeling of déjà vu while answering questions about his degree and final project, his hobbies and interests, his job and his future plans.

When Kaelan was finished he leaned back in the kitchen chair and stared at Joe appraisingly. "Well, I've only got one question left: when do you want to move in?"

* * *

Mina had a pretty sweet job on campus. She was only a secretary in the sports medicine center, but there was an upside to sitting in front of a computer and filing paperwork: she got to check out all the sexy football players as they came in for physicals. Some of them strutted around the office without their shirts on, tossing intrigued glances her way. They knew she was staring and their expressions were asking "do you want some of this?"

She really, _really_ did. But Ami would murder her. Boys were the reason why she'd almost flunked high school. Mina would never admit it, but without Ami to keep her on track she definitely wouldn't have gotten into college. _'I probably would have become a dead-eyed stripper without her…'_ She sighed at the thought and was thankful that Ami's strict tutoring had raised her grades enough to earn a scholarship for the University of Washington. She and Ami were even roommates, which was nice because Mina didn't know if she would have been able to handle the stress of freshman year without her best friend at her side.

She averted her gaze from the male specimen at the water fountain, focusing on the exam results the office would be sending to the Husky coaches. Leafing through them made her feel bad for some of the boys; their x-ray results revealed old injuries that put them at risk and they probably wouldn't get to play this year. Another tall, muscular guy walked in and came to a stop before the front desk. Mina's eyes flicked up to find him staring at her, a shocked and confused expression on his face. "Usagi?" he asked.

"Uh, no…" Mina pointed at her nametag. _'Who the heck is Usagi?'_

The boy smiled apologetically. "You look just like someone I met a couple days ago. Are you from Japan too?"

"Yeah, Tokyo," Mina answered. Then she wondered: how common _were_ blonde, blue-eyed Japanese girls in Seattle? She didn't consider herself a natural blonde, though. Spending summers in chlorinated pool water had lightened her hair to a coppery shade, more pale orange than gold. "So are you here for a physical?"

"Yeah, I think it's at a quarter after twelve. Name's Nicholas Meyer."

She consulted the day's scheduled appointments. "Sorry, you're early. It's at one-fifteen."

Nicholas dragged a hand down his angular face. "Dammit. I don't want to go back to my dorm. My roommate's driving me crazy."

Mina gave a short laugh. "I know how _that_ feels. Even though I'm rooming with my best friend, she can get really snippy sometimes. She's pre-med majoring in neurogenetics."

"So she's really smart, huh? And I thought my civil engineering degree was tough…" He stepped forward and rested his thick forearms on the counter, giving her a lazy smile. Clearly he wanted to stay and chat.

She obliged him. "Engineering seems hard. Isn't there a lot of math involved? I'm terrible at math. Thankfully becoming a physical therapist doesn't require much of it. Mostly anatomy and health stuff. But once you realize how fragile our bodies are, it makes you think…" She giggled and waved it off, not wanting to sound too profound. "So what position do you play?"

Nicholas blinked away his enraptured expression. "Huh? Oh, I'm an OLB." Mina raised an eyebrow. "Outside linebacker," he clarified, and she nodded in understanding. "Do they even have football in Japan?"

The girl shrugged. "Some schools do. It's catching on slowly. We usually call it American football because football means soccer—"

"I know!" Nicholas exclaimed, his large palm slapping the desk. "Isn't that annoying? Where I'm from, soccer is diski and football is rugby!" His eyes then widened at some revelation. "Wait a sec. How come all you Japanese girls speak perfect English?"

_'How many Japanese girls do you even know?'_ Mina wanted to ask. "We start learning English in primary school and study all the way through high school. Lots of people end up becoming teachers themselves or interpreters and translators for big companies. Speaking good English can also get you a job as a tour guide anywhere in the country."

"Lekker," Nicholas grinned. He cheeks grew warm as Mina raised both eyebrows in confusion. Upon arriving in America he'd quickly discovered that not many people could understand his colloquialisms. In Johannesburg, robots were traffic lights and movie theaters were called bioscopes. "Ag, sorry…" he mumbled

"It's okay, I got the gist of it." She glanced at the clock and was happy to see that it was time for her lunch break. "Want to get something to eat with me? You have forty minutes until your exam anyway."

"Sure, but I left my wallet in my room." Nicholas smiled innocently as Mina indicated for him to lead the way. He didn't want her to think he was inviting her back to his room for intimate purposes. They trekked northwest across campus and upon arriving at Elm Hall went upstairs to the fifth floor, room 532.

Mina had not yet been in a boy's dorm room so she was a little nervous as to what she would see. Nicholas gripped the doorknob and gave a rhythmic knock. "I'm decent," someone within shouted back, and he opened the door.

She was surprised at how tidy it was. Everything appeared to be in a place that made sense. The bathroom to her immediate left exuded the scent of Old Spice, but she hadn't smelled it on Nicholas. It must be used by the boy standing near a desk at the rear of the room. He glanced up, his hazel eyes giving Mina a once-over before he smiled at Nicholas. "Who's this?" he asked in an all-too-interested tone.

"Minako Aino," she provided, "but call me Mina."

While Nicholas searched the other desk for his wallet, his roommate approached the girl. He held out a hand and said, "Zacharie le Blanc, but I prefer Zach. Enchanté." When Mina shook it he swept her knuckles to his lips, gazing at her wolfishly from behind a curtain of pale blond bangs.

Mina had been with guys like this before, the ones who put on a gentlemanly act but only kept it up until they were in bed. She didn't think the French was fake given his name and aristocratic features. "Don't let him fool you," Nicholas commented, "Zach's from New Orleans, not France." Her would-be suitor glared daggers as she stifled a snicker and reclaimed her hand. "Do you mind if I check my email?"

"I don't mind," Mina said, stepping further into the room. Her new friend's half was very monochromatic except for a tower of CDs with bright artwork. They all had African names she would probably butcher. Nicholas had a chunky desktop instead of a laptop like Zach, and his desk featured miniature world landmarks that appeared to be constructed from Legos. He had a single poster above his bed, a portrait of Nelson Mandela and a quote: _"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."_

Zach's side looked like an arts and crafts store had exploded on it. Everything was a different color, even his pillowcases. Bits of paper and plastic littered the floor and Mina saw that he was constructing some kind of diorama, a miniature stage complete with fabric scrap curtains and tiny actors. "What's that?" she asked.

The blond boy smiled pridefully. "It's my stage lighting project. Check it out." He flicked a switch on the side of the box and LED bulbs shone down on the cardboard stage. Zach turned a dial and the lights cycled through different colors. "Lighting plays a big part in setting the tone of the scene. This baby will earn me extra credit for sure." Nicholas cleared his throat and Zach rolled his eyes. "Thanks to you, of course. Having an engineer for a roommate has its perks…" His eyes flashed deviously. "Except for his snoring."

"If you're trying to embarrass me in front of her, it's not going to work," Nicholas returned while scrolling through his email. The messages were all from the school, but one was from a sender he didn't recognize, utsukino at ai-dot-edu, and the title was _Good Eats! _Upon opening it he discovered a promotion for a sushi bar-tea house called Amabie just south of the U District. He glanced at the clock; they didn't have time to get there and back without borrowing Zach's car. He decided to print it in case he had to placate his temperamental roommate in the near future.

* * *

Zach watched Nicholas walk out the door with envy in his heart. Mina was beyond gorgeous and it was clear his friend wasn't going to do more than offer to pay for her lunch. The boy from Joburg really didn't have many friends, so maybe it was a good thing he was merely getting acquainted with her. And if she started coming around more often, Zach could work his magic without seeming too obvious.

Now that his diorama was complete, he had to write up the paper that went with it. Zach was a fabulous procrastinator but he had the ability to finish assignments at the last minute and still receive good grades. He tucked his HP Spectre under one arm and made his way to the library where he was unsurprised to see many freshmen working furiously to get their homework finished by tomorrow. Coffee cups were all over the place.

Zach smiled to himself because he had been just like them last year. As soon as he became a college freshman all he wanted to do was party. No parents, no high school drama, no two-faced friends, just booze and girls from all around the world. Zach really loved girls and most of the girls here loved him back… except the library assistant.

He knew from asking around that she was a freshman, but she was as serious and focused as a senior. Maybe it was because she was pre-med, something to do with the brain. Zach didn't really care what she was studying unless it happened to be him, which it never was. Even when he sat down on the front counter she didn't look up from her notebook. "Bonjour, Amy."

"It's Ami," the girl pointedly stated. "_Ah-mee_. Get that through your head."

Zach grinned; he loved teasing her. "Mademoiselle Ami, are you ready to do me the honor of having dinner with me?"

"Only in your dreams," she answered. "On second thought, I don't want you to harass me there, either."

"One could hardly call this harassment," Zach said. "We're just having a conversation, right?" He leaned forward a little, catching the scent of magnolia in her hair. It stirred recollections of home: his family's estate, outdoor holiday parties, sunlit morning mist between the trees… Those were the good memories. He quelled the bad ones before they could ruin his mood. "And you'd be surprised at what you do in my dreams."

"No doubt I'm naked in some Kama Sutra position." She said this in a monotone that made him laugh.

"Not at all! But now I know what's on _your_ mind." He finally earned the reaction he wanted. Ami locked her deep brown almond-shaped eyes on his speckled blue ones, their laser intensity making a shiver go down his spine. During the brief moment her anger banished her otherwise stoic mask, he got to see who she really was. Zach grinned in her face. "No, Ami. All we do in _my_ dreams is have dinner, dance for a bit, and take a walk through the gardens."

"Whatever," she muttered, returning to her notebook. Zach sighed dramatically and hopped off the desk, giving a little wave to a few theater majors from last year's production. He started toward them but paused and turned back.

"Hey, _you're_ Asian…" Ami's head snapped up and she looked ready to murder him. "Do you know this girl named Mina Aino? Sort of a strawberry blonde?"

Her nostrils flared in irritation. "I'm not even going to mention how racist your assumption is. And yes, I do. She's my best friend." She glowered at the smile that turned his lips. "But she's definitely not your type."

"Every beautiful girl is my type," Zach said with a wink, then sauntered away.

* * *

Ami really wanted to strangle him, anything to wipe that smug look off his face. Her hatred for the boy she hardly knew was quickly replaced by concern for her truest friend in the entire world. How did Zach even know about her? Had they met somewhere? The boy certainly didn't look like an athlete, so he wouldn't have had any reason to go to the sports clinic. Maybe he had a friend who scouted for girls he could seduce. How nefarious.

Thanks to Zach she could no longer focus on her homework. With a sigh she stood up and grabbed the cart of books to be reshelved, thanking the other library assistant for organizing them by class. Hardly anyone glanced away from their papers or laptops as she skirted the tables; she was silent and invisible to them, just the way she wanted it. Mina liked to call her antisocial, but Ami knew she was just very introverted.

For some reason Zach couldn't take the hint. He flirted with her almost every day even though she'd made it clear she was completely uninterested. He was probably one of those boys who'd grown up believing that teasing a girl showed he liked her, but to Ami that just made him a jerk. As she slipped dictionaries and thesauruses into their spaces she thought of a few choice adjectives for Zach, muttering them to her own ears.

She turned the corner and gasped. He was sitting right there! Ami froze in place and waited for him to turn around with that arrogant smirk on his face. No doubt she would be battered by a torrent of demeaning descriptors and quickly prepared a new vocabulary assault… But Zach didn't move. He must not have heard her. Ami released her breath and cautiously resumed her task, glaring at her nemesis all the while.

He had one of those fancy new hybrid laptops that doubled as a tablet and was hunched over it, the stylus in his hand working furiously. She leaned sideways to peer at the sliver of screen visible beneath his arm and saw what appeared to be a fashion sketch. Ami took a step closer, hovering just beyond his shoulder to watch the growing amalgamation of lines.

Zach's model wasn't freakishly lanky like most fashion croquis. The one he drew seemed rather petite and had a hand on her jutting hip, a sassy pose. He gave her short dark hair like Trinity from _The Matrix_. Ami watched, entranced, as he began sketching a dress. It had a sweetheart neckline, cold shoulders and ended mid-thigh. It looked trendy and sleek, like something Mina would wear. He drew a pair of cage heels over the model's feet and began coloring, but a cough from someone sitting across from him halted the stylus.

Ami saw the boy looking at Zach, then his eyes flicked up to her and he offered a hint of a smile. Zach spun around in his chair as she stepped back with her hands up defensively. However, it was obvious from the expression on his face that he knew she'd been watching. His features were a mixture of embarrassment and curiosity before his arrogance returned the next instant. "What do you think? Is it worthy of Paris?"

"I wouldn't know…" Ami apprehensively responded. Fashion wasn't really her forte, much less haute couture. "Aren't you supposed to be a theatrical director, not a fashion designer?"

Zach shrugged. "I want to do it all. Writing, casting, costume and set design… It's like that saying– 'too many cooks spoil the broth'. I don't want a bunch of people ruining my production." Was she hallucinating or were they have an innuendo-free conversation right now? "Want some help with those?" He pointed at the cart and smiled kindly, though it was still crooked. Ami wasn't sure if she should trust him. He stood up before she could answer and grabbed a stack off the bottom. "I know where these all go. Seven-ninety, performing arts."

'_He knows the Dewey Decimal System?'_ Ami shook her head at the notion and resumed the task at hand. She replaced books on painting, photography, architecture and music, then pushed on to history. Zach jogged to catch up and helped himself to another stack, but she stepped in his way. "What are you doing?" she demanded.

He blinked in surprise. "Um, helping you?"

"Well I didn't ask for it."

"I know," Zach grinned. "I asked _you_ but you didn't answer."

Ami crossed her arms and glared. "You shouldn't presume silence to be a confirmation."

They stood staring at one another. Zach didn't put the books down and Ami didn't unfold her arms or step aside. She didn't feel bad for snapping at him; it was perfectly reasonable for her to be suspicious of his sudden personality shift. He couldn't make suggestive remarks every time he came into the library and expect her to forget about them just because he was acting like a decent person now. She'd watched Mina fall for that trick more than once.

Eventually Zach sighed. "Just let me put these away and I'll get out of your hair."

_'And stay out!'_ Ami wanted to say, but kept her lips pressed together. As promised he held up his empty hands and disappeared from her aisle once the books had been returned, and she released an irritated breath. If she wasn't already certain that Zach was trying to hook up with Mina, she would ask her best friend if his change in tactic meant he was legitimately interested in _her_. If love was a battlefield, Ami knew she was the enemy Zach was trying to kill with kindness.


	3. III: Let the Light Shine In

_I wanted to take a moment to inform you that this story will most likely be updated once a week on Wednesday, Friday, or the weekend._

* * *

**Chapter Three: Let the Light Shine In**

Rei was known as "that girl with the glasses" on campus. Not reading glasses, sunglasses. They were really stylish Oakleys, the lenses coated with thin layers of clear paint containing dust-sized crystal particles in multiple colors. She was rather proud of herself for coming up with this solution to her vision problem.

Doctors had not been able to diagnose what was wrong with her eyes. As a baby she would burst into tears upon the sight of any other human being, including her own mother and father. To this day she still felt a twinge of guilt that she'd never given her mother a day of peace even when she was dying from leukemia. Rei's childhood was miserable.

Once she entered middle school she stopped seeing optometrists and started researching her illness on her own, only to discover she had what occultists called an open third eye. She was supposedly enlightened with the ability to read auras. When she took her eyes off the ground and really started looking at people, this explanation made sense. Everyone around her radiated a color as intense as the sun, hence the glasses. Whenever she looked at herself in a mirror she had to squint against the vibrant red halo surrounding her. To offset the constant rainbow assault, Rei owned mostly black things. Her secondary nickname was "that goth chick."

She was on her way to downtown Seattle for her seasonal shopping trip. She hadn't spent a bunch of money in one place since furnishing her apartment near Bastyr University, but her father _had_ said she could buy whatever she needed. Apparently that was a perk of being a politician: his salary was so great he could give his teenage daughter a limitless credit card. Not that Rei would take advantage of her father like that, even though they were estranged.

Her mother's death drove a wedge between them. Her father had no idea how to raise a child and had admitted to Rei's face that he never planned on having one. Just what she needed to hear at age twelve– that she was an accident. At least he also admitted that he had really been in love with her mother and was unlikely to remarry or have any more "accidents".

Rei paid to park in a garage and breezed through H&M, Macy's and Nordstrom Rack. Although she found the parent store to be sparsely populated (probably because it was a Tuesday afternoon) she didn't dare remove her glasses because sales associates had a tendency to pop up out of nowhere. One tried to sneak up on her as she paused in the perfume section to sniff a Balenciaga fragrance. She grabbed it and went up the escalator before the Botox'd woman could attack with a sales pitch. In the denim section Rei was happy to see black jeans from all the premium brands like Hudson and 7 For All Mankind. She wasn't alone; a tall girl stepped out of the dressing room and examined herself in front of the mirrors, judging a boot cut pair.

"Those look good on you," Rei commented from the rack she was browsing. The girl turned and furrowed her brow at Rei's all-black ensemble.

"I guess you would know," she said, smiling. "I just wish they weren't so expensive. This is one of the only places I can get long-inseam jeans."

"I'm sorry. I bet it's nice being tall, though. No one can look down on you." The girl's eyes widened. She'd probably never thought about that before, but Rei had a much different view of the world than the average person. She lowered her glasses a little, catching a burst of lush, grassy green. Green people tended to be honest, level-headed and energetic. "Levi's has long lengths. Maybe you should check there," she offered.

"Ah, thanks. But my friend's letting me use her employee discount. I have to get something today or the offer expires." She then shrugged and bowed. "I'm Kino Makoto."

"Hino Rei," she replied. "I like your earrings."

Makoto reached for one of the pink roses with a diamond in the center, a Christmas present from her late parents. "Thanks. I like your sunglasses."

She didn't ask why Rei was wearing them indoors, which made her happy. She could already tell Makoto was a very straight-forward person who didn't like wasting time. There were a lot of people like that at her school. "You don't go to Bastyr, do you?" she inquired.

"Nope, the Art Institute. But I was just there for the horticulture fair. I got this massive bromeliad and a couple orchids." Rei nodded politely as Makoto rolled her eyes. "And I also met this guy who my friend wants me to marry."

"Oh really?" Rei grinned. "What does he look like? Maybe I know him."

"I doubt it. He was visiting from UW. At least that's what he said." She shrugged and entered the changing room, talking loudly through the door. "Bastyr sounds really cool, though. If I'd known about it I might have gone there. They have an all-natural cooking program, right?"

"Yes, there are Bachelors and Masters in nutrition and culinary arts. Do you like to cook?"

"Yeah, but I'm more into baking. I'm going to AI to become a pastry chef. What do you do?" Makoto reemerged, looking genuinely curious.

"I'm studying acupuncture and Chinese medicine," Rei answered.

"The thing with the needles?" Makoto shuddered. "I hate needles. Hey, I bet these cargo pants would look great on you."

They probably spent half an hour discussing nothing of consequence and not once did Rei catch the green-eyed girl staring or second-guessing their interaction. Makoto _did_ ask if she was into visual kei or lolita style, which made her laugh. Maybe if they actually became friends she'd tell her about being able to read auras and why she preferred black.

When they had wasted enough time and only picked out one pair of jeans each, they went down to the first floor where Makoto said her friend, a cashier, would ring them up with a discount. Rei followed dutifully until she was halted by an arm being flung across her face. "What the hell is _he_ doing here?" the taller girl hissed.

"Who?" Rei asked. She ducked beneath the arm and saw a lone blonde cashier talking to a guy with black hair. His black pea coat was pretty nondescript and she wondered how Makoto knew who it was.

"That guy is _always_ at the restaurant where I work! Just a few days ago Usagi came by so we could go home together but ended up talking to him until my shift ended, and he mentioned something about taking her out for gelato! I think he's creepy!" Rei frowned and looked at him without her glasses. His aura was gold, a highly unusual color. The only other person she knew with a gold aura was her father. And she saw something else that gave her an involuntary shiver, which Makoto noticed. "See? I definitely do _not_ want him hanging around my best friend."

"Wait, it's not that…" But the brunette was already marching toward him.

* * *

Usagi couldn't believe that Mamoru had found her. The fact that he'd come all the way from UW just to see her on a school day filled her stomach with butterflies. For a full minute after saying "hi" they just stood there smiling at one another. Truthfully, Mamoru wasn't sure what to do next. He didn't even know when Usagi had a break or what time she got off work. Also truthfully, he was quite enamored with the off-the-shoulder top she was wearing. Her skin looked like ivory.

He finally found his words. "So when do you have a break? The bistro is only a few blocks from here."

Usagi glanced at her watch. "I'll actually be off in twenty minutes. You have really good timing."

"I try," Mamoru chuckled, even though he was thanking his lucky stars at the coincidence. "And just so we're clear, I'll be paying." He cheered himself for being assertive.

"Okay. Well, why don't you look around until I'm off? If you find something you want to buy I can use my employee discount."

If updating his wardrobe with designer names would lead to another date, so be it. Mamoru nodded at the suggestion and turned to go up the escalator only to nearly run into Makoto and another girl he didn't recognize.

"Are you stalking Usagi?" the brunette demanded. She had her hands on her hips in a power stance

Mamoru's hands rose to protect him. "No, of course not!"

"Then why are you always at Amabie? You probably sit around waiting for her to show up, huh?"

His mouth opened and closed a few times. He definitely wasn't about to admit that he kept going back to see _her_, not the blonde. He hadn't even been aware of Usagi's existence until a few days ago! "I really like the tea…" he said weakly, "and the atmosphere. I live in a loud building."

Makoto deflated a little, eyeing him suspiciously, and the girl in all black gently tried pulling her out of his path. Makoto yielded but still glared. She had no idea what was up this guy's sleeve if he was interested in _Usagi_. Not that her best friend wasn't totally awesome, but she was kind of an airhead who mostly cared about video games, manga and fashion. If Mamoru really was as intellectual as Usagi said –being a medical student and all– then she suspected he was only after one thing.

Makoto lifted her chin and smirked as the boy slunk away. He was right to be afraid of her. "What was that all about?" Rei inquired, peering up through the gap her glasses left.

"I just have a feeling that guy's up to no good," Makoto said. She then let out a huffy breath. "Come on, let's pay before Usa-chan forgets that she has a job to do."

* * *

Usagi had to wear heels for work, but heels weren't exactly the best shoes for walking around downtown. "It's really not far," Mamoru assured her for the third time, "just another block." They were going south toward the waterfront and came to a stop at a red crosswalk. The girl's feet were killing her; usually she went straight home after work and stepped into slippers.

"Are we really getting close or are you just leading me into unfamiliar territory?" she joked. Mamoru cringed, however, at the second mention of him being a creep within the same half hour. "And what's the name of this place? I'll look it up on my phone."

"No need, I know exactly where it is. And I forget the name, but it's something Italian." He flashed a smile and crossed the street when the light turned green, Usagi's shoes clacking as she tried to keep pace. With every step her Marc Jacobs pinched her toes and rubbed her heels.

_'Why do I suffer in the name of fashion?'_ she asked herself. If her ankles gave out, maybe Mamoru would carry her. She blushed at the idea.

"Ah, there it is!" Mamoru pointed at a storefront with green trim and tall windows. An Italian flag was painted on the glass and the name was indeed something long and unwieldy. A bell on the door jingled when they walked through, and all Usagi's complaints vanished as the scents of freshly-baked bread, rich tomato sauce, fresh herbs and melted cheeses wafted up her nose. She gratefully leaned on the cold case behind which many cartons of ice cream glistened. After she requested mint chocolate and Mamoru ordered plain vanilla, they went to a table in the very back of the bistro and were treated to a view of Pike Place.

Usagi closed her eyes and groaned in delight upon first bite. Having sampled every flavor in the bistro, Mamoru knew her selection was made from Swiss chocolate and pure mint extract. It was very decadent. "How's yours?" the girl asked.

"Very sweet. Here, have a taste." He held the spoon out under the assumption that she'd take it from him, but she just ate the speckled glob right off of it. Mamoru gave his empty utensil a perplexed look. _'Her lips were on this spoon. It's like indirectly kissing her.'_

_"Don't be stupid,"_ his logical mind returned. He listened, banishing the silly notion.

"That's really good," Usagi said. "Is it made with real vanilla? It tastes so much better than the fake stuff." She had a sudden epiphany and began laughing, making Mamoru tilt his head. "Sorry, that must have seemed really random. It's just that Mako-chan is always ragging on me about eating healthy. She only cooks with all-natural or organic ingredients, and now I kind of understand why. Artificial vanilla can't compare to that."

"You should consider yourself lucky to have her. I basically subsist on ramen, rice, miso and dried fruit." He laughed, but Usagi's lower lip slid forward in a sympathetic pout.

"All you do is study, huh?" She stared at her gelato, already knowing the answer. "How do you discover places like this if you don't have time for it?"

Mamoru sucked in breath. He was a little irked that she'd make such a negative assumption about him… but it was true, so he couldn't exactly refute it. "It was during the summer," he answered. "I'm at UW year-round so during breaks I walk wherever I can. And I don't have much of a family to visit in Japan, so…" He shrugged and took another bite, but it tasted bitter.

"Oh, I see," the girl said softly. "I've only been away from mine for four months. I'm saving up to visit them during Christmas break. They'll have a new house by then."

Although she didn't elaborate, Mamoru knew exactly what she was talking about. Two years ago a huge explosion decimated a substantial portion of Tokyo. Millions of people were displaced and a large percentage of them had fled the country entirely, fearing chemical fallout. The United States government opened its arms to the Japanese refugees and many of them settled in Hawaii and along the west coast. After a few more months, the Japanese government's investigation traced the explosion to a research company called Tomoe Laboratories, but the CEO and head scientist was presumed to have perished. Further investigation had yet to reveal the exact cause of the explosion.

"Where did they relocate to?" Mamoru asked.

"Tokushima. My dad always wanted to live on the water." Usagi lifted a shoulder and all the negativity of their conversation seemingly slid off her. Silence still reigned for a few minutes until the boy asked what she liked to do for fun. Having finished her gelato, Usagi tossed her empty cup in the garbage and grinned. "C'mon, I'll show you. This time I'll pay."

"Where—" was all Mamoru got out before she grabbed his hand and pulled him from his seat. She didn't let go as they ran down the cobblestone street to Pike Place, pausing beneath the Alaskan Way viaduct. Mamoru wondered if, for some reason, she was leading him to the ferry, but then Usagi turned into Pier 57. The boy had never been there before and smelled delicious seafood emanating from a restaurant called the Crab Pot. They passed a few curio shops, a candy store, and finally arrived at Usagi's favorite destination: the arcade.

"So what are you good at?" She was beaming and Mamoru couldn't help but smile back. "Candy claw? Gadget grab? Racing? Shooting? How about DDR?"

"Not at all," the boy chuckled, "I have two left feet." He glanced around, taking in all the flashing lights and noises. They were the only people in the arcade, which felt weirdly intimate. But he realized she was trying to get him to have fun for once in his life. _'Why not?'_ His logical mind began to protest but he shoved his misgivings aside. "I don't think I know how to play any of these games."

"No problem, I'll teach you!"

After an hour Mamoru had learned how to kill aliens and race a manual car. He managed to hit most of the quarter notes of fast-paced bemani songs but could only watch in awe as Usagi kicked off her heels and stomped her way through songs laden with eighth and sixteenth notes, which made her very sweaty.

"Mako-chan is even better than me," she panted. "She has endurance." She stepped off the stage and stared rather resentfully at her shoes; her legs were quavering slightly from the workout. The thought of even walking up the sidewalk to her apartment made her muscles ache. With an indolent shrug she left them on the floor and headed into a small alcove with old game cabinets. "Do you know how to joust?" she asked, grinning at Mamoru from over her shoulder.

"Only in theory." He stood beside her as she fed quarters into the machine.

"Okay, well this version is super easy. I'm the ostrich and you're the stork." He raised a skeptical eyebrow, unable to discern which pixelated bird was which. "You press this button to flap and fly around with the joystick. To kill the green guys you sort of land on their head. Don't let them land on you. If you run right into them you bounce off. Got it?"

Mamoru wanted more details but suddenly Usagi was shouting at him to get off the ground and start lancing green birds. He pressed the button furiously, already feeling his hand cramp up after the first wave, but he quickly figured out that it was easiest to sit on the topmost pixelated ledges and let the green birds come to him. His strategy worked well until the fifth level. "Egg wave! EGG WAVE!" Usagi screamed. "Get them before they hatch!" In his haste Mamoru descended to the first platform and ran to a green pixel on the edge, but a hand came out of the fire and pulled him down.

"Shit!" he yelled, his face immediately flushing at the curse. Usagi was laughing her head off for some reason. She grabbed all the eggs before he regenerated, then they went on as normal until wave eight, when a message appeared. "Beware the unbeatable pterodactyl?" Mamoru repeated.

"Oh crap, I forgot about that. Just stay away from it." The alcove echoed with their combined button-mashing. Mamoru actually had to fly around because the enemies were getting smarter. Some of them bounced off the ledges and killed him, but Usagi's ostrich was always there to avenge him. The pterodactyl finally appeared, flapping incessantly toward Mamoru and making a _ree-ow_ noise. "Go on the middle platform, that one with the crack," the girl commanded. He landed his stork and the pterodactyl (it should have been called a pterosaur, he noted) slowly descended from the top of the screen. Usagi landed behind him as the pterodactyl lunged across the platform, right into the lance. The game released five notes of victory and a red 3000 appeared. "Owned!" she exclaimed.

"I think my hand is going numb," Mamoru said, and much to his surprise Usagi just walked away from the game. She retrieved her shoes but didn't put them on until they had exited onto the sidewalk where he checked his watch. They'd spent a substantial amount of time at the arcade and it was now too late for him to catch the bus that would take him back to the U District. He wasn't familiar with the waterfront routes either. _"Good job, now you're stranded downtown,"_ his logic chided.

_'Spending time with her was worth it,'_ he shot back. "Usagi-chan, could I please use your phone to call a cab?"

"You're so polite," she said, batting at him playfully. "But sorry, it's dead." Mamoru felt his expression fall to despair. He really _was_ stranded. Usagi apparently found this amusing. "Hey, don't look so glum! My apartment is, like, right there. You can use our house phone." She began walking north and the boy followed a moment later.

* * *

He had assumed that the girl in black was the third roommate Usagi mentioned, but when he entered their apartment (and was properly impressed with its décor and the view of Elliott Bay) he was introduced to someone he recognized. "I'm a huge fan of yours," Mamoru gushed after bowing to Michiru. He then shot Usagi a look that asked if this was really happening right now.

She smiled and returned the greeting. "It's always a pleasure to meet my fans. I wasn't expecting there to be so many of them in this city. I get recognized almost every time I go out."

"It isn't because you're totally gorgeous or anything," Usagi said from the fridge. There were always leftovers from Michiru's gourmet lunches. "Guys are _always_ checking you out whenever we go anywhere together."

Mamoru could see how that would happen. Michiru carried herself with the elegance of a mature, self-assured woman, and she was very intellectual, as anyone who followed her musical career knew. Usagi was beautiful too, but only because she had such a unique appearance. Yet compared to her roommates she was definitely the most approachable. "How did the three of you become friends?" Mamoru found himself asking.

Michiru rolled her eyes a little as Usagi turned to grin at him. "Funny story, actually. I met Makoto in junior high. She transferred into my class and was all grumpy because people started spreading rumors about her. One day we were playing dodge ball in P.E. and some jerky guy through one right at me, but Mako-chan jumped in front of me and caught it. She threw it back at him and knocked him out!"

Mamoru could picture it easily. "She sort of became my bodyguard," Usagi went on. "And we bonded over our love of food. She likes to cook, I like to eat! Then we met Michiru in high school. Mako-chan and I were in culinary arts class and got to cater the music festival. She performed at our school and afterward got something to eat from our table—"

"And I exclaimed that it was the best yakiniku I'd ever had," Michiru finished. "But that's just the story Usa-chan likes to tell." She winked at the boy. "I _actually_ met them because they were both failing history and showed up at the same night school where I studied."

Mamoru smiled, but even he knew it wasn't genuine. He wished he'd made connections like that in Japan. He wished he'd made friends who wanted to stay in his life no matter where he went. Ever since his parents' death he'd only been able to rely on himself. He was his own best friend.

Maybe that was why he seemed magnetically attracted to Usagi– she was so inviting, so non-discriminating. She knew he had terrible fashion sense. She knew he was socially awkward. She knew he was a total noob at video games. But the fact that she spent the entire evening with him and invited him to her home meant she didn't care about any of those things… or she was just way too nice. However, he had a feeling that having Makoto for a friend would erase any doormat-like tendencies.

He had to wait ten minutes for his cab and in that time Makoto finished her shower. She went straight to her room to change into pajamas before entering the kitchen for a cup of evening tea, and froze upon seeing Mamoru seated at the table. He lifted a hand in greeting, then tensed up as she visibly inflated with rage.

"WHAT IS HE DOING IN MY KITCHEN?!" she roared. Her wide eyes bore into the boy and he could practically see steam curling up through her gritted teeth, like a dragon.

"This is Chiba Mamoru," Michiru said calmly. "He's a pathology student at UW."

"I don't care who he is or what stupid school he goes to! Why is he in _my_ kitchen?!" The older girl began to answer but Makoto barged on. "It's bad enough that he _stalks_ me and Usagi where we work! Did you know he came to Nordstrom today to take her out for _gelato?!_ Getting ice cream doesn't take _three hours!_"

"We went to the arcade…" Usagi explained. "That's why I didn't get home until a little bit ago."

"He only came here to call for a taxi," Michiru added.

Makoto snorted. "What, you don't have a cell phone?" Her gaze flicked over him judgmentally. "I guess you couldn't afford one since you obviously only shop at thrift stores."

Mamoru felt an angry prickle begin to radiate from his chest. What the hell was this girl's issue with him? Was she a raging misandrist or something? He always left a tip at Amabie. He'd been nothing but courteous to Usagi. Why was she attacking him like this?

Usagi moved to blockade her friend's view of the boy. "Leave him alone, Mako-chan. You of all people know you can't judge others based on what they wear." She looked like the blonde had slapped her. "Mamo-chan is a nice guy, okay? You don't have to worry about me with him… We're not in high school anymore."

Makoto suddenly released all the angry energy she'd built up and gave her friend a guilty look. "I'm sorry," she whispered, then she straightened and stared at Mamoru. "I'm sorry for insulting you." Although curt she sounded honest enough and the boy nodded in acceptance. Makoto then spun on her heel and retreated to her room, Usagi following a moment later.

He sat in the kitchen chair like a statue, unsure of what to do. He could leave right now and stand out in the cold until the taxi arrived, but the sense of not belonging Makoto had caused was fading away. For some reason the apartment felt very homey despite being occupied by three girls.

Usagi made the decision for him. She returned in fleece capris and a purple hoodie, her make-up washed away and the artificial curls in her hair brushed out. "I'll wait with you outside," she said. Mamoru followed her out the door. They sat on a bench beneath a streetlight, listening to traffic trickle across the viaduct until she sighed. "Mako-chan was just being protective of me," she said softly. "Once she noticed how guys took advantage of me, she pretty much stopped me from dating. But like I said, I'm not that girl any more. She knows that."

"I see…" Mamoru said. "She seems… ruthless."

Usagi gave a slight laugh. "Yeah, that's how she fended off the worst guys. Attacking their egos made them stay away from us."

"Luckily I don't have much of an ego to destroy." This earned a small smile from the girl. "I really don't want to come between you and your friend, so you probably won't be seeing me again… unless you come to UW for some reason."

She blinked once before her lips separated into a grin. "Are you kidding? It's not every day I meet a guy who can keep up with me at Joust!"

"It was actually kind of fun," Mamoru admitted.

"Then we'll have to play again soon! I have it on this arcade pack for my Super NES, plus Defender! We can play any time since you know where I live now."

"As long as I'm able to catch a bus home next time." The next moment, a light blue taxi pulled up to the curb. Mamoru stood and opened the door, but didn't get in yet.

"Yeah, next time…" Usagi stepped a little closer to him. "Hey, I have class and work every day but I'm free on the weekends. You could just come over then. I'm usually here."

Mamoru couldn't hold back the smile that lit up his face. An invite to come hang out whenever he wanted meant there really _was_ something between them. Whether it settled into an easy friendship or became something more romantic didn't matter to him. He just grateful to have someone else in his life.

* * *

**A/N**

_Bits of Seattle trivia:_

_From chapter one, there are in fact 463 Starbucks in Seattle as of a 2010 census. There may be more now._

_Our taxis are not all Yellow Cabs. They come in light blue, light green, white and Prius._

_Nordstrom was founded here in 1901._

_Bastyr University has the distinction of being the first fully-accredited school of naturopathic studies in the United States._


	4. IV: Life Less Ordinary

**Chapter Four: Life Less Ordinary**

"So who was that girl you were with yesterday?" Usagi inquired after finishing her morning routine. "The one wearing all black?"

"Her name's Hino-san," the brunette answered, flipping an omelet before sliding it onto Usagi's plate. "She goes to Bastyr, that school we went to last week. We're going to hang out Friday."

"Oh, cool." A pause. "Why was she wearing sunglasses inside?"

"I don't know," Makoto shrugged, "maybe she's photosensitive or something." She sat down across from the blonde and stared at her. "Listen, I'm really sorry I turned into a rage monster last night. I know you can take care of yourself now, but I just really, really don't want to see you get hurt ever again."

Usagi smiled wryly. "You think Mamo-chan's dangerous? Did you see how thin he is?"

"Physical abuse isn't the only kind, Usa-chan. All those guys back home were always talking to their friends about how stupid and clueless you were, and it's crap like that I worry about. Chiba-san seems like one of those stoic broody types. Who knows what's going on in his head if you can't see it on his face?" She sighed and left the kitchen table, heading to their room to change out of her jogging clothes. "You'd better eat that whole omelet!" she called.

"I will!" Usagi returned, grabbing it and her book bag as she left for class. She knew she should be more thankful she had a friend as caring as Makoto, but deep down she was annoyed at being treated like a helpless princess. Part of the reason they both came to Seattle was so they could have fresh starts. Usagi just wanted to put the past behind her once and for all, but Makoto seemed intent on reminding her about it all the time.

_'I know I'm not like that anymore… I'll never be that girl again.'_ Firstly, she wasn't even considering a romantic relationship with Mamoru at this point, so Makoto shouldn't be worried about _that_. Secondly, she wasn't so stupid as to jump into a relationship with someone she barely knew. All the guys she'd dated in high school were ones she grew up with, guys who went from goofy to attractive and had interests ranging from sports, cars and music to politics and academics.

Usagi was still a hopeless Nintendo fangirl who liked to read manga and listen to fast-paced bemani music. She still liked to cosplay, watch romantic comedies and eat junk food. The majority of her ex-boyfriends wanted her to change her ways, but that was simply who she was. They wanted her to be their personal cheerleader, just arm candy to show off to their friends. They thought she was a pushover who could be manipulated to serve their interests, but even she had been self-aware enough not to let that ever happen completely.

That was why Makoto worried about her. Since junior high she had watched Usagi flit between boys who tried to shape her into a different person, and finally stood up to say _enough_. The truth hurt at first and Usagi almost broke off their friendship, but she realized Makoto was probably the most honest person she'd ever met. She could not imagine who she would have become without Makoto's strength in her life.

* * *

When Mamoru left the apartment building he was somewhat amused to see a bed frame and sofa awkwardly sticking out of an SUV in the parking lot. Clattering resounded in the stairwell and he turned to see the blond guy who lived below him hefting a box of small appliances. _'Lucky him getting to move out…'_ "Where are you headed?" Mamoru asked.

"Shoreline!" he cheered, throwing the box into his rig. He then approached Mamoru. "It's a little ways north of here, but it's so much quieter. Can't beat the rent either, only five-hundred bucks a month."

"Five-hundred?" Mamoru repeated. That was less than what he was paying for Radford Court. He couldn't move out of the U District, though, because he didn't have a car to commute with. "Well good luck to you. Are you moving because of the third-floor people?"

"Yeah. I really need to focus on my final project." He narrowed his eyes at Mamoru. "Are you telling me you hate them, too? I'm not the only one?"

"I really do hate them," he laughed, and held out his hand. "Mamoru Chiba."

"Rhymes with Chamoru," the guy grinned. His grip was strong and his hands were calloused from hard work. "I'm Joe Levin… Hey! The place I'm moving is owned by a dude about our age. If you want to get out of here I'll leave his number so you can give him a call."

"That would be great," Mamoru said.

Joe withdrew a pencil and notepad from his back pocket and scribbled ten digits, then shook Mamoru's hand again. "Take it easy, dude!" He seemed ecstatic to be leaving and Mamoru felt a twinge of jealousy. He'd lived on campus for four years and was ready for a change of scenery, but there was no sense getting his hopes up when he was unable to get back and forth from school.

Once again he spent all day at Amabie but actually ordered a substantial amount of food to fuel his intense study session. At three he realized Makoto hadn't come in for work and waved at the server of Vietnamese descent named Camille, who glided over with a smile. "She only works Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends because she has classes the rest of the week," she explained.

"Oh… I'm actually trying to get a hold of her friend, Usagi. Do you know her number by chance?"

Cami put a long fingernail to her lips. "I think one of the cooks has it. I'll get it for you."

Mamoru smiled and thanked her. Now that he'd done it a few times, asking strangers for favors wasn't as daunting as it seemed. Cami delivered the slip of paper along with his shrimp sashimi, which he devoured before typing up a few more pages of his dissertation. At five he left Amabie with Usagi's number in his pocket and walked into Montlake in search of a place to buy a cell phone.

* * *

Mina and Ami only had two early classes on Thursday, and neither was willing to hang out where the other worked on campus. "We can't just sit here and rot in our room," Mina declared. "We need to get out and _do_ something! We need to meet hot guys!"

Ami waved away the idea. "You can go meet boys. I'll stay here and read."

"What _are_ you reading, anyway?" The blonde leaned down to peer at the cover and tittered. "_The Last Unicorn_? What the heck is _that_ about? Isn't that a little too fantastical for your taste?"

"It's actually a decent representation of tropes that are now common in the high fantasy genre."

"Bor-ing," Mina said airily. "Okay, fine. You stay here and I'll go scope out the deli for hotties. I wouldn't want you cramping my style, anyway."

"That's me, the style-cramper."

Mina rolled her eyes, grabbed her trench coat and left. As soon as she was in the hall she opened her phone to text Nicholas. With guys like him she typically established a whirlwind relationship based on mutual physical attraction, but she had no desire whatsoever to see him naked, so she happily settled into the role of just friend. **"Nikko-kun! I'm bored. Wanna get something to eat with me?"**

**"Zach and I are just leaving to try out this sushi bar nearby. I have a promo thing."**

**"Oh. Well Ami and I know all about sushi, you know. We can pay for ourselves."**

**"I just told Zach you two wanted to come and he says be outside your dorm in six minutes."**

**"Exactly six mins? Can do!"**

Mina spun around and ran back to her room, earning a raised eyebrow from Ami when she burst through the door. "You found a hot boy already? It's only been two minutes."

"You know that guy Nicholas I've been telling you about? He wants us to go to a sushi bar with him."

Ami lowered her book. "I suppose I could use a taste of home…" The corner of her lips quirked. "But if I end up becoming the third wheel, I'm walking back here."

Mina grinned. "You'd better do it in style, then! Wear your MIA boots."

Ami sighed but zipped up her knee-length boots nonetheless, then they navigated the maze of hallways and staircases leading out of Hansee Hall. A silver BMW sedan was waiting to pick them up, but when Ami saw Zach in the passenger seat she froze in place. "Mina-chan! You didn't tell me _he_ was coming with us!"

The blonde raised an eyebrow. "You know Zach? He's Nicholas' roommate."

"Do I _know_ him?! He's the jerk who's been harassing me in the library since the quarter began!"

Mina frowned and glanced between her best friend and the boy, who lowered the window. "Come on, girls. It's starting to rain."

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" Ami spat.

"Not even if I'm paying?" Zach left the car and she took a step back when he approached. "Mademoiselle Ami, I apologize for the wrong foot we started off on. I never meant any harm." He mussed his hair and smiled sheepishly. "If you come with us to dinner I promise you'll get to know the real me."

"And why would I want to do that?"

"Because from what I've heard about you, I believe we actually have a lot in common. You like classical music, literature and swimming, right?" Her wide eyes confirmed it. "And it's not like the food _here_ is anything to write home about. I've read good reviews about the place we're going." The smile relaxed into a crooked smirk without malice. "It's also a tea house. Don't you like tea?"

Ami loved tea. She released an annoyed sigh and settled into the back of the sedan since Mina had stolen the front. The rain fell harder as they drove south, turning the roads reflective black.

"You didn't tell me you had a car," Mina remarked as they skirted Washington Park.

"It's his," Nicholas said.

"Oh. Then why isn't he driving? Is it because of the rain?"

Zach shook his head. "I had a panic attack earlier… I'm still a little shaky."

Ami wanted to ask what caused it but held her tongue. She fumed all the way to the tea house, hoping her aura would convey to everyone else in the car how unhappy she was with this situation. Thankfully Mina sat beside her in the booth they were shown to. When the server came they ordered three different kinds of tea: honey green, black vanilla chai, and white orange blossom peach for Ami. She glowered when Zach poured himself a cup.

"Wow, this is way better than the liquid sugar they drink where I'm from." He chuckled when everyone looked alarmed. "Not literally. Southern sweet tea just lives up to its name."

"In _my_ hometown we drink rooibos." Mina smiled at the way Nicholas rolled the R's. Even though she didn't like-like him, she couldn't deny that he had a sexy deep voice. When everyone finished sampling the tea and choosing a favorite they reached for the stack of menus, but Nicholas' giant hand fell upon it. "I've got it covered," he grinned. Once the server returned he handed her the promotional coupon he'd printed several days ago.

She glanced between it and them a few times. "So which of our employees are you friends or family of? They get a little bonus for referring you."

Everyone stared at the boy. "Employee? Uhh…" The server narrowed her eyes in suspicion just as the kitchen door swung open and a girl holding a tray of miniature cakes appeared. "Her!" Nicholas exclaimed, jabbing a finger at her. He was half relieved and half in awe.

The server turned. "Oh, are you Makoto's friends from AI?" They all nodded in what they hoped was a convincing manner. "All right, one matsuri special coming up!"

When she was gone Nicholas gave a sigh of relief. "Eish, that almost gave _me_ a panic attack. What's a matsuri anyway?"

"It means festival," Ami supplied. He nodded slowly, distracted by the girl placing cakes into the chilled display. Was it really the same Makoto he'd met at the horticulture fair? Her hair was in a low bun, but there was no mistaking those vibrant green eyes. She looked kind of cute in the dark blue uniform.

While Mina was giving a lesson in Japanese dining etiquette, Ami stared at Zach. He was listening intently, like he would take this bit of cultural advice to heart. Was he just hoping to impress Mina? She wished she had more to go on other that what she'd heard about him from working in the library. She knew Zach wanted to be a theatrical director and, judging by his comment about wanting to do it all, thought he was a bit of a control freak.

He was always well-dressed when she saw him. He often wore fitted jeans, a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled halfway up, and a loose tie around his neck, like a British rock star. He was short with a slim build but held his shoulders back and his chin up, walking confidently (arrogantly, she reminded herself) through the library. There were always art students studying and whenever Zach joined them he seemed to infect them with his charisma.

It didn't seem like anything could daunt him, so what had caused the panic attack? Ami skillfully began leading up to the question when their bowls of rice arrived. "So, Zach…" He faced her with a hopeful glimmer in his eye. "How did you get your car: birthday, graduation or just because?"

"The first one," he answered while trying to get a grip on his chopsticks. "My family is very wealthy and old-fashioned. I had a huge Sweet Sixteen party and got that car along with many other toys, most of which I donated when I came here. My mama wasn't happy about that."

"Well that was nice of you," Mina complimented. "But how come you don't have one of those funny southern accents?"

"You're probably thinking of the thick, drawling dialects like Yat and Cajun. I'm Creole because my family is descended from French immigrants, but in New Orleans accents can be further broken down based on which area of the city you live in. Back home I have an Uptown accent, which sounds like proper English to you west coasters." He flashed his signature smile-smirk. "Ah kin talk that way if y'all really want."

Ami shook her head as the others laughed. "Did you drive your car all the way here?" she went on.

"Yes, it was fun once I got to the Rockies. I'd never seen real mountains before." He waved off their stunned expressions. "I spent a few days in California, then drove up the coast." Zach looked at Ami expectantly, clearly enjoying the chance to talk about himself.

She obliged him after daintily bringing a gob of rice to her mouth. "How did you get into theater? What made you want to be a director?"

"You might find this hard to believe, but I like being the center of attention." Nicholas rolled his eyes. "As a kid I was always in the spotlight singing, dancing, and making up silly monologues for my parents. They dragged me to the opera and in return I made them take me to plays and musicals. In high school I wrote scripts for my friends and we acted them out in talent shows, but I knew I wouldn't be fulfilled until I made it to a real stage, wherever in the world that may be."

"So why did you come all the way to Seattle? Why not Tulane or Juilliard?"

The expression she caught was fleeting: Zach closed his eyes and the corners barely crinkled in pain, then he smiled coldly the next minute. "Girls like you can be so disarming. I forget some of you actually have brains in your pretty little heads."

Ami's jaw dropped at the patronizing remark, but she closed it a moment later upon realizing that this wasn't the first time his personality had done an abrupt one-eighty without logical cause. With Jerk Zach in control her verbal offense was armed and ready. Thankfully their food arrived before she had to utilize it.

* * *

Rei drove around the city when she was bored. Her Acura got decent mileage and there were still many areas she had yet to explore, but as she returned from Ballard she recalled that Makoto had told her to stop by the restaurant where she worked if she wanted a taste of home. Rei entered Amabie into her GPS and followed the new route east, speeding along rain-slicked roads. Driving was just one perk of living in the US instead of Japan: she didn't have to wait until she turned twenty to get a license.

Once seated at the bar she ordered crab sushi, temaki and a Ramune. There were a few other people in the restaurant including a table of four with three pots of tea, which she thought odd. The two Japanese girls were explaining what each item on their giant platter of food was to their dates, one large boy and one skinny boy. The light-haired girl looked a little familiar, but Rei couldn't recall her face.

"I _am_ going home! This is the last batch!" someone shouted. The doors to the kitchen swung open and Makoto came out holding a tray of daifuku. Rei waved her fingers and she wandered over, setting it on the counter. "Hey! I thought we were going to hang out tomorrow!"

Rei's sweater-covered shoulders rose and fell. "I was hungry. You were right, by the way. This food reminds me of a little place in Shibuya."

"We're all from the motherland back here, so of course everything tastes authentic!" Through the plastic windows Rei could see a middle-aged man and a very old woman working on a few last-minute orders. The boy who had prepared her sushi appeared barely older than them, and he towel-whipped Makoto so she'd get back to work. "Don't make me hurt you, Ryo!"

He chuckled and disappeared around the corner. Makoto's lips were pursed while she stocked the daifuku. "How much are those?" Rei asked. "Do you have kiwi?"

"You bet!" the brunette grinned. "They're only a dollar fifty. How many do you want?"

"Just one…" Rei bit her lip as she took in all the other decadent treats in the display. "And that slice of chocolate cheesecake." After Makoto slid the desserts her way she was remiss to cut into the cheesecake; it just looked so _pretty_, but her sweet tooth won out. The first bite melted in her mouth, the sweet cocoa-sugar-cream cheese filling offset by shavings of bitter dark chocolate. "The world needs to know about this cake," she remarked.

Makoto was beaming. "I'm glad you like it. The secret is fair-trade Venezuelan cacao. That way you can feel good about eating it."

"I think I'd feel good regardless of—" Rei was interrupted by a clamor from the entrance. She turned to see Makoto's roommate, Usagi, and the dark-haired boy. They were both dripping wet.

"What the hell, you guys?" Makoto said as she ran out from behind the counter. "Did you fall into the lake or something?"

"We missed the bus here and had to walk a few blocks," Usagi answered. She was thoroughly drenched, her denim jacket and white pants several shades darker than they were supposed to be.

The brunette raised an eyebrow. "You missed the bus? What were you doing that made you miss the bus?"

Usagi gulped at her accusatory tone. "We were playing Smash Bros! It's easy to get sucked into that game!" Her friend's expression didn't change. "Honestly! Michiru-san was there the whole time. We weren't _alone_ or anything."

Mamoru briskly nodded in agreement, but Makoto's lips just curled into a sly smile. "It's okay, I believe you. I just think it's funny that you were really trying to convince me." That comment earned her a light slap on the arm before the new arrivals sat down beside Rei.

"Hi!" the blonde chirped. "I'm Usagi."

"I know. I saw you at Nordstrom," Rei coolly returned.

"And this is Mamo-chan! I mean, Chiba Mamoru."

Rei smiled at the cute nickname and wondered if they were dating now after receiving Makoto's approval; she hadn't scowled at or threatened the boy at all. Ryo, the sushi chef, amalgamated the day's leftovers into a few interesting varieties of sashimi, with generous amounts of wasabi for Rei. Mamoru preferred ginger on his and Usagi forsake everything for a big bowl of udon with two kinds of teriyaki-drenched meat. They chatted about AI, UW and Bastyr until it was officially closing time. As they gathered purses and shrugged on jackets, Rei noticed the table of four hadn't left yet. They completely cleared the huge platter, though. She really wished she could place the blonde girl's face in her memory. _'Wait a minute…'_

Rei took a good look at Usagi, even lowering her sunglasses to stare at her. Usagi turned her way and frowned at the intensity of her chestnut-colored eyes. "What? Is there something in my teeth?"

"No," Rei answered, "it's just that you look eerily similar to that girl." She nodded at the copper blonde putting on her long coat. Mamoru faced her as well and drew in a breath.

"You're right… They both have blue eyes and similar facial structure."

"Is she your long-lost twin or something?"

Usagi was staring too and slowly shook her head. "No way, I'm an only child. But her hair's darker than mine, you guys."

"The resemblance is still uncanny," Mamoru said quietly. It was just too weird to be a coincidence.

The three of them watched the other group while they prepare to leave, but the large auburn-haired boy paused halfway to the exit and came back to the dessert case. Usagi felt a huge grin splitting her lips. Her scheme had worked.

* * *

"Hi, Makoto. I thought it was you back there." Nicholas folded his arms atop the case and smiled shyly at her. Her mouth dropped open and she blinked in amazement, but the expression was gone the next instant, replaced by irritation.

"Usa-chan! You told him where I work?!"

"How would I have done that, Mako-chan?" Usagi innocently retorted.

"I don't know! Maybe you got Chiba-san to find him for you! I can't believe you'd do something so… so… sneaky!" She could feel her anger rising at her friend's smug little grin, which she decided to focus on Nicholas. "So _your_ group was the one who ordered the matsuri special? I could have Jessica revoke that discount, you know. You're not my family _or_ my friends."

Nicholas raised his hands in alarm. "Hey, I didn't know you even worked here. Someone emailed that promo to me…" He trailed off and looked at Usagi, everything suddenly falling into place. Her blue eyes were wide open and her smile was borderline maniacal.

Zach came up behind his roommate. "Did I hear there's something wrong with the promo he used?" He flashed a platinum credit card and frowned at Nicholas. "I told you to just let me pay."

"No, it's fine…" Makoto sighed. She was mad at Usagi, not these innocent patrons. "I hope you enjoyed everything. Have a nice night." Without a further word to her friends she disappeared into the back of the kitchen.

Zach stowed his wallet and gave the trio standing nearby a quick once-over, but rubbed his eyes upon seeing a short-haired version of Mina, who was supposed to be outside. Her outfit was different, too. "Whoa…" he breathed in awe, stepping closer to Usagi. "Are you her twin?"

"I'm nobody's twin!" she exclaimed. "That girl you were with looks nothing like me!"

"Yes she does," Zach, Mamoru and Rei chorused. "Hang on, I'll get her," the blond boy added. He jogged out the door and came back with Mina. "Ta-da!"

Mina froze at the sight of her doppelganger. Usagi stared right back, the full-on view confirming that they indeed looked exactly alike. They took slow steps toward one another until they were only six inches apart. "This is freaky," Mina muttered after several silent minutes.

"I know," Usagi said. "What's your name?"

"Aino Minako."

"I'm Tsukino Usagi. I moved here from Tokyo to go to school."

"Me too… How strange."

"Yeah…" Usagi examined her outfit, which was very trendy. "You like fashion?"

"Oh yeah," Mina smiled. "What kind of music do you like?"

"Bemani, Dancemania, that sort of stuff."

"Omigod, me too!" They gripped each other's forearms and squealed at their shared interests. "Do you play any sports?"

Usagi shook her head vigorously. "Not unless DDR counts as a sport."

Oh well. Mina still felt herself glowing on the inside, like she'd encountered a long-lost sibling. She wanted to find out just how similar she and Usagi really were, and to that end the group of eight went for a walk in Washington Park even though it was closed. Nicholas hoisted them all over the gate before climbing it himself.

Ami and Rei hung back together, the strangers among their respective quartets. The latter had examined the newcomers' auras and found Ami's to be deep blue, Mina's yellow, Zach's orange and Nicholas' a dark red. Usagi's still hadn't changed from the first time she saw her.

"This is all very strange…" Ami mused. "What are the odds of two people who look so similar yet aren't related being in the same city, much less the same restaurant on this exact night?"

"It _is_ odd," Rei agreed, "but I don't believe it's fate or destiny, just a very well-timed coincidence. It makes sense when you consider that we're all here because of what happened in Tokyo. The last census said there were around five-thousand people who moved to Seattle."

Ami nodded, but she didn't agree it was coincidence; she thought everything happened for a logical reason. "If I hadn't gotten my scholarship I would have stayed there. It was my mother who convinced me to go to UW, really."

"What does she do?" Rei asked.

"She's a brain surgeon. I always wanted to follow in her footsteps so I chose to become a neurogeneticist. Mostly I'm studying Alzheimer's." She then smiled at Rei. "I heard you're interested in naturopathic medicine."

"Yes, I'm going to become an acupuncturist. The degree also includes instruction in Chinese medicine, but I feel the only reason why it's so highly regarded is because their society has been able to experiment with natural remedies for several thousand years. Every culture had their healers, so I study global medicinal practices in my free time."

"Perhaps we could collaborate, then. My research is all about discovering what hasn't been thoroughly tested, and naturopathic studies are largely dismissed. That's going to be the subject of my dissertation."

"Sounds interesting," Rei said. "I'll make sure to let you know what I discover."

Makoto walked in a line with Mamoru, Zach and Nicholas, listening to the nonstop chatter from the blondes ahead of them. It was apparent that Rei and Ami were engaged in their own meaningful conversation, but the four of them had nothing in common. She sighed, breaking the silence, and said what was bothering her before she regretted it. "Sorry I threatened you about revoking that promotional deal." Nicholas angled his head toward her. "It's just that Amabie is a family business, you know? And the matsuri special is for families who have something to celebrate. It's a lot of food."

"I get it," Nicholas said. "You'd go out of business if everyone used it."

Makoto smiled. "You're pretty smart for a jock."

"He's not just a jock," Zach cut in. "He's going to become an engineer." He sounded so proud as he said it, earning a surprised look from his roommate.

"What kind of engineer?" Makoto questioned.

"Civil. Buildings, bridges, roads, that kind of thing." He glanced at Zach again, who gesticulated for him to keep talking. "After getting my degree I want to return home and contribute to the mining clean-up. There was this gold rush in the eighteen-hundreds, you see…"

Mamoru found himself clinging to the story Nicholas told. He knew nothing of South Africa, much less Johannesburg itself, but had heard of Apartheid, which was a major reason why some of the rural black communities were in danger of the mine's "tailings". Thanks to erosion, heavy metals that had been brought to the surface along with gold were seeping into streams the people drew water from, and there was growing concern that the toxic elements would poison the aquifer providing most of the city's water.

"So how are you going to stop it? The seepage, I mean," Makoto asked once he had finished speaking.

"I have one idea," Nicholas said. "Ever heard of carbon nanotubes?" Everyone shook their heads. "They're pretty amazing. One simple way to use them is as a filter, so even installing them in faucets will make a big difference. But the poison isn't just in the water. I want to design a purification system for the whole city, one that'll cleanse the air as well." His eyes lowered to the ground and he smiled sheepishly at his big dreams. "If I end up failing, though, there's still infrastructure to improve."

Mamoru found himself muttering a proverb the Benefactor was fond of: "Amadare ishi wo ugatsu."

"What?" the other boys asked in unison.

Makoto giggled. "It means 'drops of water will wear down a stone', as in don't give up."

"Ah, right," Zach said, rolling his eyes. "You Asian people are just full of wisdom, aren't you?" He found himself falling sideways as Nicholas hip-checked him.

"Don't be an ass. It's good advice." He nodded at Mamoru, who shrugged in return.

It was ten-thirty by the time they returned to the gated park entrance. After Nicholas had helped everyone get back over, they walked in silence to the cars waiting in Amabie's lot. "I can drive you home," Rei suggested to Usagi and Makoto. They chose her warm vehicle over the bus they had to walk several blocks to get to.

"And Mamoru-kun can come with us," Mina said, looking at Zach, "since we're all going to the same place." He slipped into the back with her and Ami as Nicholas' bulk took up the front. The two groups waved at one another and although nobody said it aloud, there was a sense that they would all be together again soon.

* * *

**A/N**

_Rooibos, also known as African red bush tea, is pronounced "roy-bors"._

_20 is the adult age in Japan. You can get your driver's license, buy alcohol, and vote!_


	5. V: Full Focus

**Chapter Five: Full Focus**

Mamoru awoke to a message on his house phone. It was from the Benefactor, and hearing his cold, controlled voice asking Mamoru to call him back made a nervous sweat break out in his palms. Although the man didn't sound angry about the cell phone, Mamoru knew he was annoyed that he hadn't been consulted first; he generally asked permission before making large purchases.

He called the Benefactor on his new BlackBerry. "Hello, Mamoru-san," the man said. "This is a different number than the one I dialed earlier."

"Yes, it's my cell phone number."

"What made you decide to join the modern world?"

Mamoru floundered for a second. He hadn't expected a question like that. Should he lie and say he bought it to keep in contact with his professors and classmates? "I bought it to… talk to a girl."

The other line was quiet for a moment. "Tell me about her," the Benefactor said.

"Um…" He hadn't expected to hear that, either. "She doesn't go to UW. She's at the Art Institute."

"A creative college girl?" He sounded intrigued. "How did you meet her?"

"At a restaurant near campus. She just came over and started talking to me."

"And have you kept seeing her?"

"We've hung out a few times." Mamoru knew the Benefactor wouldn't approve of him playing video games and didn't elaborate.

"I see," the man said after a brief pause. "I hope she doesn't become a distraction. You've been maintaining a 4.0 GPA and I would hate to see all your hard work go to waste."

"It won't, I promise," Mamoru reassured. Now that he had the man's approval of Usagi and the phone, he felt a bit emboldened. "Onjin-san, I have a rather large request."

"And what does it entail?"

Mamoru braced himself. "I would like to buy a car."

The Benefactor was aghast. "A _car?_ What do you need a car for? Everything you need is on campus." There was a split second pause. "Do you want it to go see the artist girl?"

"No, actually," Mamoru partially lied. "Just north of campus there's a place I can live for only five hundred dollars a month. If I moved there I would need a vehicle to get to class. Someone I know just left Radford Court to stay there and he says it's very nice. He's a senior studying environmental science." He hoped that would make Joe sound credible.

"And how much am I paying for the apartment you're in right now?"

"Twelve hundred a month."

The man didn't say anything for what seemed an eternity. "I'll have to think it over. I wouldn't be saving money because the reduction in rent would simply cover the car payment." Mamoru rolled his eyes; the Benefactor was wealthy enough to buy any vehicle outright. "The payment would help build your credit," he added. "This could be a valuable experience to help you prepare for managing personal finances."

"I agree," Mamoru said, hoping he didn't sound too eager. "The phone plan I got is only seventy dollars a month, but if I got a job I could manage it myself."

"No," the Benefactor stated. "Your only job right now is to study." The line crackled a little as he sighed. "This is the one of the longest conversations we've ever had, Mamoru-san. Even though you might not believe it, I care for you very much. I am proud of all that you've accomplished so far, and I don't want anything to stand in the way of all you have left to achieve."

Mamoru was stunned. The Benefactor had never said anything this heartfelt before. "Thank you, Onjin-san," was all he could think to say.

"Before I purchase a vehicle for you, however, you must get your license. There are a few driving schools in the Seattle area. I trust you to handle this efficiently."

"Yes, of course," Mamoru said. It was pretty much confirmed that he was getting a car and a rare giddiness made him grin like a fool.

"Call me once you pass the test." With that the Benefactor hung up. Mamoru almost let out a whoop, but he had another call to make. He dug through the papers on his counter to find the phone number Joe had given him.

"Who's it?" asked a voice he didn't recognize.

"Uh, hi. Is Joe Levin there?"

"One sec." Mamoru cringed as the voice bellowed not far from the receiver. "Joe! Some bloke on the phone for you!" This person was Irish, he noted.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Joe, it's Mamoru Chiba. You gave me this number just before you moved."

"Ah, Chamoru! What do you need?"

"I was wondering if you could do me a big favor."

"What kind of favor?" Joe asked nervously.

"I need you to teach me how to drive."

"Oh, is that all? I thought you were going to ask me to help you bury a body or something." He gave a hearty laugh that Mamoru didn't share. "Sure, no problem. I've been driving since I was about eight. My father was a mechanic, you know." He didn't know but hummed in agreement. "Well, there's no time like the present. Are you free today?"

"I suppose so…"

"Great! I'll be in the parking lot around noon. Make sure to eat something that won't upset your stomach. I don't want you tarnishing my rig." Mamoru agreed to the terms, then Joe made an addendum. "Kaelan's coming too. He has a Maserati."

"Oh, okay." Mamoru wondered what the significance of Maserati ownership was. "The more the merrier, I guess."

Joe laughed again. "You sound nervous already! Don't worry, learning stick isn't as hard as everyone says. You'll be driving like a boss in no time, I guarantee it!"

They said goodbye and hung up. Mamoru then relaxed on his tiny sofa, feeling proud of himself for being so assertive. He had set life-altering changes in motion all before ten a.m.

* * *

Ami glanced at her watch and sighed irritably. "Will you stop that?" Mina chided. "He's only five minutes late."

The short-haired girl didn't feel like mentioning how important punctuality was to her. She was more irked by the fact that she'd assumed Mamoru to be responsible; they had only hung out a few times, after all. But he had a brand-new, perfectly functioning phone, so the least he could have done was text to let them know he was going to be late for their coffee date. Ami could tell that Mina was also annoyed. She had spent more time than was reasonable deciding which beverages would make their first Starbucks experience enjoyable.

A loud vehicle came to a screeching halt outside the café. Mamoru got out of the driver's seat and the boy from the passenger side gave him a slap on the back. A third boy followed them inside and went straight to the counter to order something. Mamoru slid into their booth. "Hi girls, sorry I'm late."

"Did you _drive_ here?" Ami asked incredulously.

He nodded and the buzz-cut boy chuckled. "Not bad for your first time behind the wheel, although you need to remember that it takes both feet to drive a manual." He smiled proudly.

Mamoru then gave Ami a guilty look. "I'm sorry I didn't call to tell you why I was late. I'm getting a car soon but I don't quite know how to drive, so I asked these two to give me a lesson. This is Joe Levin..." Joe bowed his head while Mamoru twisted around, "and that's Kaelan Burke."

"Nice to meet you," Ami and Mina said together. The latter went into flirting mode, leaning toward Joe and holding his verdant gaze. "You look like an athlete. I've never seen you in the sports center, though."

"That's because I only play fütbol recreationally. Most of the time I'm working on the final project for my environmental horticulture degree."

"So you _are_ a student here," Mina confirmed.

"Yes, and until a couple weeks ago I lived right below this dude." Mina giggled at his pronunciation of the word, wondering if English was his second language. "But now I live with him." He grinned at Kaelan as he sat down in the chair opposite the bench seat.

"Stop trying to mimic me," Kaelan said, taking a sip of his steaming coffee. He gazed upon them all with calm authority, as if he held mastery over everyone. When his cool grey eyes landed on Mina she felt herself being silently judged, and for some reason she couldn't look away. She could hear the conversation continuing around her but it was muted, like her ears were full of cotton.

_"Minako…"_ someone whispered. She tried looking away from Kaelan to find the speaker only to realize with mild shock that _his_ lips were the ones moving. "Minako," he said again.

"I didn't tell you my name," she whispered back. No one else took notice of their exchange.

"I know you didn't, but I already knew it." His low, gravelly voice made her shiver.

"Did Mamoru tell you he was meeting us here?" Kaelan shook his head. "Then how—?"

"Mina-chan? Are you all right?' She blinked rapidly to focus on Ami's hand in front of her face. "You spaced out for a moment. Maybe you need coffee more than Mamoru-san and I."

"Maybe I do," she answered, forcing herself to smile. Mamoru and Joe were wrapped up in their own conversation about cars and Kaelan was staring at the table as if the weird moment between them hadn't happened. Shaking her head slowly, she slid out of the booth and went to order a few beverages. Her phone trilled a minute later.

**"Doing anything today?"** Zach texted.

Mina looked back at the table. Everyone was now discussing global warming. **"Not really,"** she replied, **"just hanging out in Starbucks with Ami, Mamoru and two of his friends."**

**"He has friends? Are they even cool?"**

** "I suppose so. One wants to save the planet and I don't think the other is a student. He's a little older than us. His family name is Burke, like the museum."**

**"I guess that's pretty cool. I was wondering if you wanted to fill in for one of the actors in the production I'm working on."**

Ah, acting. Before Mina got serious about her grades and decided to focus on volleyball, she wanted to be an idol. She would have been a triple threat– a singer, actress and model. She was a decent mezzo-soprano and could deliver a convincing monologue, but because of her coppery hair, no modeling agency would hire her. They thought she would be a "risky asset" even though she explained that her tanned skin and orange locks were from being outside so much. They hadn't even noticed her athletic figure, dismissing her based on a stereotype.

"Let's go to the theater," she said to Ami during a lull in the conversation. "Zach needs my help with something."

"Did you not hear us?" Ami returned. "We're going to the Burke Museum so Kaelan can see why they named it after his great-great grandfather."

Mina's gaze darted to the pale boy. He was handsome, but unlike Joe there was nothing warm about his features. Kaelan hadn't looked at her since their weird moment yet he gave Ami his undivided attention. Maybe he was enamored by her.

Mina denied the invite to go to the museum and surreptitiously took a picture of Kaelan as they all stood up to leave, everyone but her piling into the small SUV. Ami was still engaged in their discussion and barely gave the blonde a wave, like Mamoru and his buddies were her new best friends. The world had surely turned upside-down if Ami was choosing them over her, but then Mina realized she was probably still miffed about how Zach had acted at Amabie.

She opened the theater's heavy door and was presented with a lush, dimly lit forest scene. There were three actors on stage and Zach was sitting down in the front row beside a balding older man. Everyone looked at Mina when the door achingly groaned shut. "Take off your jacket and get on stage," Zach said, his bluish eyes glittering. Mina knew a look of relief when she saw one. As she descended the aisle the old man held up a packet of papers that she grabbed without pausing.

The actors all muttered hellos and she introduced herself. "This scene isn't very long," whispered a baby-faced boy. "I'm Schmendrick the Magician."

"I'm Amalthea the Unicorn," whispered a dark-skinned girl with long braided hair.

"And I'm Ruhk the Henchman," whispered a tall tattooed boy. Mina skimmed the script and discovered that she was filling in for the role of Mommy Fortuna the Witch, and she would be killed by a Harpy at the end. This was Act 1, Scene 3 of _Eternal Heart_, a new adaption of _The Last Unicorn_ by Peter S. Beagle. The title sounded familiar to her but she couldn't recall where she'd heard it.

She and Amalthea had the most lines in the scene while Schmendrick mostly performed carnival tricks (the freshman actor could actually juggle) and Ruhk lurked in the background. The girl playing the Unicorn was very good; she remained stoic in the face of Mommy Fortuna's threats and didn't panic as Schmendrick tried helping her escape the Midnight Carnival. Zach mostly yelled directions at the male actors, and practice ended after an hour and a half.

"What happened to the actual Mommy Fortuna?" Mina asked him as they left together.

"She caught the flu. I told her not to come in because I didn't want her infecting the rest of the cast, not to mention me or Professor Sinclair." He wanted to get coffee, and because Mina hadn't had the chance to enjoy hers she agreed to accompany him to Tully's. Suddenly his face lit up. "I have the prop department designing puppets for the Harpy and the Red Bull. It's going to be so great at the end of that scene when Mommy Fortuna stands at one end of the stage and it comes swooping down on her as the lights dim and the curtain closes. _I held you!_" Zach shouted, flinging his arms wide.

Mina giggled at his exuberance. "When is the presentation date?"

"We're going to try for January. It could be earlier, but unlike the movie there's no singing, so we have to convey Amalthea falling in love with Prince Lir through all-new dialogue. I'm still debating whether or not they should have a whole scene to themselves."

"Is that really your decision to make as the assistant director?"

Zach nodded once. "This adaption was my idea. That's what gave me the panic attack, actually. When Sinclair told us he'd chosen my script, I freaked out." Mina's eyes widened but he just shrugged. "I was overwhelmed by the thought of everyone hating it because there's never been a stage adaption of _Two Hearts_ before, which is the sequel to _The Last Unicorn_. I wasn't sure Sinclair would go for it, but here we are."

"And that was the night we went out for sushi…" Realization dawned on Mina and she gasped. "Ami was reading that book just before we left to meet you!"

Zach only shrugged again. "She probably heard it was coming up and wanted to read the original source material. Lots of people do that." Although he said it, he had never seen Ami with a high fantasy novel in her hands before; he'd assumed she wasn't into that genre. Maybe she was only reading it so she could see the play and critique it because she was that kind of person. Zach's adaption was completely faithful to the original, however, so she would be hard-pressed to find fault.

His musings were interrupted when Mina's phone jingled. Her eyes narrowed at the text message. "Ami thinks you and Nicholas should meet Joe and Kaelan. The rich boy is offering to take everyone to Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner."

"I haven't been there, and Nick isn't one to deny free food." A smile twisted his lips. "And I'd like to speak to Mamoru about something."

"About what?" Mina asked. His expression was a little unnerving.

"I want to know why a geek like him was surrounded by Usagi, Makoto and Rei when we first met. They're all way too hot for him to handle."

Mina just sighed.

* * *

**"I'm moving off campus."**

** "Oh really? Where are you going?"**

** "Shoreline. I'll be living in a mansion for less than the cost of this apartment."**

** "But I never even got to see it."**

** "Seeing this house will be even better. There are separate rooms for everything, and there's even a conservatory and an indoor pool."**

** "And you'll be living with those guys you told me about?"**

** "Right, plus two more. Zacharie and Nicholas are moving in too. Zach's parents are wealthy and Kaelan made a deal with Nicholas. He gets to live there for free if he installs some energy-efficient technologies."**

** "Wow, lucky him! It's like you guys will have your own frat house."**

**"We agreed to keep the partying to a minimum. But there's going to be a celebration once we're all moved in. I was actually wondering if you and Kino-san wanted to go shopping with us for furniture and stuff. Your apartment looked so great, and none of us have an eye for design."**

** "Oh Mamo-chan, I don't know if we can decorate a whole house! You guys probably all have different tastes!"**

** "I have faith in you, Usako."**

She smiled at her new nickname and didn't text back just yet. "Mako-chan! How do you feel about interior designing for a mansion?"

"Are we getting paid?" she shouted from the kitchen.

"Probably not, but it's a _mansion!_ And it sounds like we get to do whatever we want!"

The brunette stuck her head around the corner. "Whose mansion is it?"

"The guy's name is Kaelan and Mamo-chan is moving in with him. So are Nicholas and Zach." Makoto looked impressed. "So are you up for it?"

"Sure, as long as none of them tell us what to do." Her teeth flashed before she returned to her cooking.

**"Mako-chan says she'll help. When do you want us there? And where is this place? I need to plan a bus route."**

**"No need, Kaelan will pick you up. This is all happening Friday. While Zach, Nicholas and I get our stuff moved, you two can take a tour of the house and figure out what it needs. Then we'll all head downtown to shop."**

** "Okay, sounds like fun :) ****See you then!"**

* * *

Kaelan's pewter Maserati GranTurismo MC turned heads as it rumbled along the waterfront. The attractive vehicle was the first thing he'd bought himself after becoming the official owner of the Burke Mansion. He'd always been envious of exotic cars passing through Kinsale, wondering what kinds of people were situated behind the tinted windows. What did driving mean to them? Some people owned expensive cars just because they could, but others genuinely enjoyed the experience. Kaelan fell into the latter camp, and there were plenty of twisty roads in western Washington to get his adrenalin flowing.

But downtown Seattle was not such a place, especially during the rush before a ferry came in. Thankfully Kaelan wasn't going that far. He saw a parking space in front of Elliott Apartments and swung into it. As he stepped out, a young mother with a child no older than six stopped and stared. The car locked itself with two beeps and Kaelan flashed a smile, making the woman blush and resume walking. The same look didn't quite work on the girl who answered the door he knocked on.

"So you're the rich boy," Makoto said, giving him a once-over.

He bowed slightly. "Kaelan Burke. Pleasure to make your acquaintance." Makoto stepped aside and he entered the apartment. "Mamoru was right about this place. It's very elegant. All your doing?"

She shrugged. "Mostly mine and Usagi's, except the plants. I take care of those."

"You'll have to work with Joe on the conservatory, then. Horticulture is his thing."

Makoto nodded before shouting, "Usa-chan, hurry up! We're leaving!"

"Hang on! I can't find my other boot!" Usagi ran through the next room, giving Kaelan a glimpse of purple tights beneath a miniskirt and a chunky sweater. He glanced at Makoto and wondered why Mamoru wanted her style advice when she was dressed rather plainly in jeans, sneakers, and a leather bolero. She had an attractive physique, though. The blonde returned, smiling broadly at Kaelan. "Okay, let's go! How far to your place?"

"About twenty minutes, maybe more if there's traffic."

"There's always traffic," the brunette muttered from ahead.

Kaelan smirked a little. "That's true, but my car is a ninja." She looked back with a raised eyebrow. "It's fast is what I mean. You'll see." Usagi sat behind Makoto in the passenger seat and they headed north through Ballard. On 65th Street the Maserati weaved gracefully between cars, then they turned left onto 3rd Avenue and went further north, the car's exhaust echoing off tightly-packed suburban houses. Kaelan glanced into the rearview mirror and saw Usagi smiling as the G-force sucked her into her seat, and Makoto looked like she was enjoying the ride as well. Just before the Seattle Golf Club, Kaelan swung left and sped along the forested neighborhood roads. To finish the ride he zipped into his driveway, throwing fresh gravel, and slid to a stop. The girls giggled while stepping out.

"Welcome to my home," he said, leading them inside. They spoke to one other in Japanese during long tour that ended in the great room containing three worn leather couches, an ancient rug and a painting of Thomas Burke's family above the fireplace.

"Since the whole house has hardwood floors, we're going to need a lot of rugs," Makoto declared.

"I really like the carved wood," Usagi said, "especially the mantle and crown molding. We agree on a slight Renaissance theme in earth tones like emerald green and dark blue with metallic accents, and dimmable lighting options."

"Since the bathrooms all have brass fixtures, we think burgundy and maroon would look good."

"And reclaimed natural décor will be easy to find," the blonde added. They nodded decisively and Kaelan grinned in agreement.

"It sounds like this house is in more than capable hands," he said.

* * *

Rei rarely received anything of interest in her mailbox, but one morning she discovered a big envelope sealed with red wax. She opened it carefully to discover a piece of cardstock with elegant cursive writing and the stamp of a family crest near a signature at the bottom.

_You are cordially invited to a celebration of All Hallow's Eve at the Burke Mansion._

_Please come in costume. The best one will win a prize._

_There will be food, live music and dancing. The pool will also be available._

_This invitation is for your eyes only. You can burn after reading if you like._

_I sincerely hope you will consider joining us for this eventful evening._

Rei compared the date to her calendar and realized the party was just two days away. She looked at the signature again and wondered who Kaelan T. Burke was. A quick Google search turned up a short article in the _Seattle Times_ regarding the inheritance of Thomas Burke's house by his great-great grandson from Ireland. Kaelan's father, Simon Burke, had signed release-of-interest papers and left the country before his son even arrived in town.

She read the invitation again and frowned. If she'd met this man she would have remembered him; she was very good with names and faces. That meant he had to be acquainted with someone she knew, and since she didn't have any real friends at Bastyr, she deduced that Makoto was behind it all.

**"About this Halloween party…"** Rei texted, **"I don't deal with crowds very well."**

Makoto's reply came quickly. **"It's not going to be crowded at all! Just nine of us, plus you."**

Ten people wasn't very many. **"Is Mizuno-san invited as well?"**

**"Yes, and Usagi just heard from Mamoru that she's coming as Athena." **Rei could go as a goddess, too. In fact, there was one that would be ideal for her. **"It's just a friendly gathering, nothing wild,"** Makoto added. **"I'm only going 'cause Kaelan hired a DJ. Usagi and I love to dance."**

**"I see. Who or what are you dressing up as?"**

** "Lara Croft, Tomb Raider! My costume is pretty awesome. Usagi made me some replica guns and I have the thigh holsters and everything!"**

Rei could easily picture Makoto as the tough heroine. But there was a contest involved and she hated to lose. After texting her confirmation to attend the party, Rei abandoned her homework and hopped in her car, heading downtown to the fashion center. The costume she had in mind would blow everyone else away. All she needed was an elegant black gown, a few craft tools, and feathers. Lots and lots of feathers.

* * *

**A/N**

_Joe pronounces dude like "dood", really emphasizing the vowel sound._

_I'm kind of into cars and I like to live vicariously through characters by giving them interesting vehicles. Joe's Samurai, complete with the Vortec swap, is my dream off-roader, and Kaelan's GranTurismo is more affordable than the Lexus LFA I'm fond of. Rei drives an Acura TSX and Zach has a BMW 335i M Sport sedan._

_The Last Unicorn was first adapted for the stage in 1988. Peter Beagle wrote the script and it was performed at the Intiman Playhouse in... you guessed it, Seattle!_


	6. VI: Creatures of the Night

**Chapter Six: Creatures of the Night**

"Good news!" Mamoru announced during breakfast. His housemates all eyed him sleepily having stayed up until two in the morning finishing the party decorations. Joe was especially tired since he'd been awake since five a.m. the previous day on an expedition in the Cascade foothills. Kaelan's silk bathrobe was askew, Nicholas' boxers had slid down his backside, and Zach's hair resembled a bird's nest. Unlike the rest of them Mamoru didn't depend on coffee to function.

Joe glared at the Japanese boy, then glared at the Keurig. "Spit it out," he grumbled.

"The girls RSVP'd. They'll all be here tonight." Everyone instantly perked up.

"What's RSVP stand for anyway?" Nicholas asked. He was breaking eggs into a frying pan for his morning dose of protein.

"Répondez s'il vous plaît," Zach rasped. His voice was always hoarse first thing in the morning. "And pull up your drawers. I'm tired of seeing your ass crack."

"Then don't look at it," the linebacker returned.

"Unless you're queer or something," Kaelan added, earning a snicker from Joe. Mamoru noticed the way Zach's jaw tightened. His wardrobe and grooming habits had become the subjects of most homophobic remarks.

"He might be," Nicholas went on. "Have you seen his costume?" Kaelan and Joe shook their heads. "It's black and glittery!" Howls of laughter filled the kitchen and Zach's fair complexion began turning red.

"Are you going as a ballerina tonight?"

"Or a showgirl?"

"Maybe a dominatrix?"

Mamoru held up a hand. "Okay, that's enough." He must have sounded more forceful than he thought because Joe bit his lip and returned to his coffee, Nicholas focused on his eggs and Kaelan just looked at him with one pale eyebrow arched high.

"If his skin's too thin to handle a bit of slagging, he better move back to his dorm room." The look he gave Mamoru was completely glacial, but the blue-eyed boy didn't falter beneath it. Kaelan was the alpha; this was his house so he could do whatever he wanted including pick on his tenants, who already felt like younger brothers. As the second oldest, Mamoru's challenge was one he wouldn't take lightly.

"Give it a rest already…" Zach sighed, interrupting their staring contest. "I'm going to shower."

"Me next!" Nicholas shouted a millisecond before Joe, who cursed in Russian. The three of them had large rooms but had to share a bathroom, and Mamoru had a small room with his own half bath. Zach tossed him a partial smile on his way out of the kitchen and Mamoru gave a somber nod.

Halloween fell on the Saturday after they had all moved in and there were still some things to be done in the room where the party would take place. Kaelan called it the ballroom because it had a high ceiling supported by marble pillars, an antique chandelier and a polished wood floor in a spiral pattern. He had purposely not shown this room to Usagi and Makoto because he wanted them to be impressed during the party. Everything had been handled very meticulously and it was time for the finishing touches.

Zach came down to set up the lights with his typically short, loosely curled hair slicked back with gel. "Going for a new look?" Kaelan asked. He was setting up a stage for the DJ opposite the arched entry.

"It's for tonight. I'll be wearing a wig." Zach fiddled with one of the multicolored laser lights for a silent moment. "My costume is black and glittery because I'm going to be Jareth from _Labyrinth_."

"No shit!" Kaelan exclaimed, startling him. "I love that movie! I love everything by Henson and Froud!"

"Really? You?"

"Is it so hard to believe that I like faerie tales? I _am_ Irish, you know." His countenance dimmed. "My mum used to tell me a different one every night. As a kid I got picked on 'cause my dad wasn't around, so I always got into fights. I never really won and that just pissed me off more. Mum's stories kept me calm." He glanced at Zach's interested expression. "This'll sound stupid, but I always wished I could be a prince and fall in love with a beautiful princess."

Zach smiled kindly. "I think all little kids secretly want that. When I was young I played dress-up with the neighbor girls. They were damsels in distress and I was their knight in shining armor. Sometimes we even kissed… just a peck on the cheek," he clarified. "One day my mother said it was inappropriate to play around like that. I didn't really understand why until I got older, when I wanted to do more than just kiss girls… But at that age it hadn't been anything more than an innocent reward for saving them from imaginary monsters."

Kaelan nodded. He now felt bad for attacking Zach's masculinity all the time, but it was hard not to when he was so _pretty_. With his wide hazel eyes, long blond lashes, sunny hair and full lips set on a rectangular face, he almost seemed androgynous. "Have you ever been mistaken for a girl?"

Zach gave a dry laugh. "No, but I'm sure I would have if I'd grown out my hair. Everyone called me the _cutest_ boy." He climbed down the ladder and carried it to the opposite wall. "It was really bad in high school…" he started to say, but Nicholas and Mamoru appeared, asking how they could help. Kaelan told them to stock the bar and Zach decided not to keep talking.

Nicholas grinned at the boxes of top shelf liquor Kaelan had brought home last night. Although he had attended his fair share of wild parties in Joburg, he almost always ended up mixing drinks for other people due to the fact that his mother was a bartender. While he and Mamoru were unpacking the bottles, Joe came in from the conservatory and made a beeline for them.

"Vodka!" he cheered. "Chopin, Zyr and Double Cross! Nice!" He looked at Kaelan. "Where'd you get this? These brands aren't very common in the States."

"Once again, I'm Irish. I know my booze." That comment was just a little too stereotypical for anyone to believe and they all stared at him. "Okay, fine. When I worked as a busboy at a hotel, a coworker and I would sneak into the bar after hours and sample everything. I acquired a taste for the good stuff."

Nicholas chuckled and pulled out a bright green bottle. "Is this absinthe? Isn't this illegal?"

"Just as illegal as Cuban cigars," Kaelan grinned. "It's frowned upon, but not impossible to get. I wanted everyone to have an alcoholic representative. The absinthe is for me, vodka for Joe, sake for Mamoru, bourbon for Zach, and Amarula Cream for you. I couldn't find Van der Hum."

Nicholas was so touched that he put a hand on his heart; he hadn't tasted Amarula Cream since leaving home two years ago. After realizing that Kaelan had probably spent a small fortune on spirits, he and Mamoru very carefully arranged them on the shelf. They had everything from high-quality tequila, whiskey, gin and rum to cheaper mixing liqueurs like Bailey's, Midori and Absolut.

"There's no way we'll even make a dent in all this liquor tonight," Mamoru said once they were done. Truthfully, he never drank to excess and was almost frightened by the thought of losing control. He would sample anything offered to him out of courtesy, but he wasn't going to chug the sake just because it reminded him of home. He wanted to stay sober in case his housemates started getting rowdy.

When the DJ arrived at three in the afternoon, they all clustered around him to help create a playlist. This was easier said than done since everyone had completely differing musical tastes. Mamoru listened to classical, but that genre didn't belong at a Halloween party. Most of Joe's heavy metal and classic rock suggestions made it into the playlist followed by Kaelan's opera metal and trance-electronic picks. The DJ branched off that genre, adding in current progressive house chart-toppers. It faded nicely into an ambient, downtempo section before picking back up with a few kwaito tracks Nicholas was fond of and ending with Zach's theme-appropriate "Time Warp" from _The Rocky Horror Picture Show_ and "Thriller."

They regrouped in the pool room. Kaelan reclined in a chair while Joe and Mamoru rolled up the cover and adjusted the thermostat. "I feel like we're forgetting something," the platinum-haired boy said. "We got the food, the booze, the decorations, the music…"

Mamoru tentatively raised his hand. "I still need a costume," he said meekly.

"Costumes! We can't have any copy-cats, so what's everyone going to be tonight?"

"Roman soldier," Nicholas said.

"Goblin King," Zach said.

"Male model," Joe said, earning funny looks.

"And I'll be Robin Hood. So who do you want to be?" Everyone stared at Mamoru and he shrugged helplessly, making Kaelan groan. "We can't have a costume party without all of us being dressed up!"

Zach hummed thoughtfully as he circled the Japanese boy, then snapped his fingers and smiled. "I know! Mamoru would make an excellent Phantom of the Opera."

"I have a tuxedo you can use," Kaelan agreed, "but we need the mask."

"I can get one from campus." As the assistant director to the upcoming production he had keys to almost all of the drama department's rooms.

Kaelan hopped to his feet. "Then let's go, Pretty Boy. We've only got an hour until the girls are supposed to be here." Zach frowned at the nickname but followed him out to the garage nonetheless.

All was quiet for a few minutes until Joe cleared his throat. "We should probably clean the bathrooms and stuff." Nicholas grunted in agreement and Mamoru followed them dutifully, accepting a small bucket of rags, citrus spray and glass cleaner that he took to his room. He didn't think any of the girls would end up seeing it, but better to be safe than sorry.

* * *

Usagi and Makoto hopped on a bus to the U District, meeting up with Ami and Mina on campus where Rei would pick them all up. The UW girls were waiting at the bus stop and Mina released a fangirl squeal when she saw Usagi's costume. "You look positively adorable!"

"Thanks," Usagi beamed, "I made it myself."

"No way!" She circled her appraisingly, oohing and ahhing at the excellent construction and detailing of her Dark Magician Girl costume. They were color coordinated since Mina was wearing a white and pink rhinestone cowgirl outfit. "You should really be doing fashion design instead of merchandising!"

Usagi and Makoto shared a look. "We were talking about that on the way here, actually. I've decided to switch majors. It's only the middle of the quarter and most of the classes I'm already in are on the design curriculum."

"That's great! I can just picture you with a boutique in Harajuku or Shibuya. You can have a bunny logo because of your name!"

"Well first I have to pass all the business math courses…" Usagi laughed sheepishly as they dove into a discussion about the best autumn trends.

Makoto sighed, crossed her arms and tapped her foot, hoping Rei's bright blue car would show up soon. She glared at a pack of boys that whistled at them while Usagi and Mina waved and giggled. She had a feeling the copper blonde could become a negative influence on her friend; Mina clearly wasn't shy about using her body to attract attention.

"You look just like Lara Croft," Ami said, startling the taller girl. "Sorry, I thought you heard me."

"I was a little lost in thought. I'm sure there's going to be alcohol at this party and I don't want Usa-chan to go overboard. She's a total lightweight." Ami nodded in understanding. "We don't _really_ know any of the guys there so I want to make sure none of them take advantage of her… of any of us. I'll throw a punch if I have to."

Ami thought Makoto's toned arms and legs looked rather intimidating. "Do you work out a lot?" she asked.

"I jog every day and go to a karate studio sometimes. I'm only a green belt. The dojo I used to train at back home got blown up."

"Oh no, that's terrible. Was your sensei all right?"

Makoto nodded. "He's fine, but to my knowledge he hasn't had the money to open another dojo." She took a better look at Ami, noting how modest her Greek chiton was. There were a few freckles dotting her nose, which meant she spent time in the sun. "Do you play volleyball like Mina-chan?"

"Definitely not," Ami laughed. "I only played it in P.E and she nearly decided to go pro. She chose physical therapy instead." She tapped her lips thoughtfully. "I think it may have had something to do with her mother, who became a professional tennis player in high school. She suffered a lot of minor injuries before she had Mina, and developed sciatica after her pregnancy."

"She must be in pain all the time," Makoto reasoned. "I don't want to wear myself out before I get old, but I hate just lazing around. I can't play video games or read for hours on end like Usa-chan."

Ami didn't regard reading as lazing around, she thought of it as brain exercise. "I like to swim," she said. "It's an easy workout for your whole body. Mina-chan and I were on our high school team." She smiled when Makoto nodded her approval; the tall girl was definitely the authority on physical fitness. Ami knew that Makoto stuck to a very healthy diet and wanted some cooking tips, but she would wait until after the party.

Night had just about fallen when Rei pulled up, the awaiting girls jumping into her car to escape a cold breeze. "Sorry it took so long. Can you believe there's so much traffic on Halloween?"

"People probably have awesome parties to go to, like us!" Mina said. She tried to get a good look at Rei's costume but it was too dark. All she could discern was a feathered black mask and matching dress. Her nail polish and lips were black as well. And come to think of it, hadn't Rei been wearing black when they met at Amabie? Mina thought she pulled off the Goth look with a certain elegance that made it less in-your-face than most supporters of the style.

Rei parked in front of the Burke Mansion and they all made some last minute adjustments to their costumes, then stepped out of the car together and clustered in front of the large wooden door. Makoto lifted the brass knocker and let it fall.

Mamoru opened the door, his cape flaring dramatically and making the blonde girls yelp. He almost laughed, which would have ruined his character's sinister air, but withheld it and stepped aside, bowing low to welcome them in. Zach then showed them to the ballroom where Nicholas was situated at the bar. "Anyone want a drink?" he asked, smiling broadly.

Everyone spent the first hour talking and getting to know one another. Sadly, only Mamoru was familiar with the character Usagi portrayed; everyone else thought she was some kind of fairy. The guys were more intrigued by Makoto's accurate representation of the tough Tomb Raider heroine, and the more she drank the less defensive she became, eventually letting them surround her in the center of the room where everyone but Rei was dancing.

Kaelan had already declared her the winner of the costume contest even though they had yet to vote. He gushed that her portrayal of the Morrígan, the Celtic goddess of death, was simply stunning. However, the downside to her tight-fitting, feather-adorned gown was that she didn't have a great range of motion. She was stuck sipping the fruity cocktail Nicholas made her until one of the boys extricated himself from the dancing mass.

Joe's male model "costume" consisted of him wearing a pair of designer jeans and nothing else. Rei studied his washboard abs and broad shoulders from the corner of her eye. After downing several cups of water followed by a swig of Double Cross, Joe leaned against the bar and exuded a long sigh. "Why aren't you out there with us?" he asked.

"Honestly, I can't move very well in this dress." She watched Ami and Mamoru attempted a friendly tango. They both laughed at their incoordination. "It certainly looks like everyone is having a good time, though."

"I bet you'd be able to waltz just fine," Joe smiled, holding out his hand. Rei looked slightly shocked by the gesture. "Come on. If you don't know how, just follow my lead."

"I can waltz," she declared, placing her fingers delicately in his palm. After assuming the stance, they began spinning around to a beat that Joe tapped out with his index finger against her waist. It didn't match the music everyone else was dancing to, but Rei no longer heard it as she stayed focused on the boy's eyes. She felt nothing but the connection of their hands and the way she was held snugly against his midsection.

"Where did you learn to waltz?" he wanted to know.

Rei briefly closed her eyes. "I used to dance with my father and the members of his office. After my mother passed away, I was the one he brought to formal events."

"He taught you well," the boy remarked. "I was forced to ballroom dance at my Catholic school."

"What was that like?" Rei thought it funny that they'd both gone to religious schools.

Joe sucked his teeth. "Brutal. You know how people like to joke about being beat by nuns? It wasn't a joke at my school. You'd get paddled for even mentioning drugs or sex, unless it was a promise to never engage in such sinful activities." Hearing her laughter made him smile.

"Where did you learn to speak Japanese?" Rei then inquired.

"I picked it up from one of the mechanics at my dad's shop. I'm actually fluent in several languages." Her eyes widened beneath the mask. "Russian is my native tongue, but my mother is Czech. I then learned English, Korean and Japanese. I also speak German and Mandarin."

"So you're a polyglot. What made you want to learn all those languages?"

"Well, Czech is very similar to Russian, so that one came easily. I learned Japanese, Korean and Mandarin because they're the nearest countries to my home. The German happened because I was bored, and my mother forced me to study English for when I became a big-shot politician." Rei tensed up at that, making their rhythm falter, and he raised an eyebrow. "Did I say something wrong?"

She shook her head. "No, sorry… I'm just feeling a little dizzy now. I think it's the fog."

"We can go outside for some fresh air," he offered. "There's a gazebo that overlooks that Sound."

"That sounds nice," Rei smiled, and slipped her hand through his offered arm.

* * *

It seemed that the more inebriated everyone got, the more they reverted to their native languages. The DJ was glad they were having fun, but he just had to shake his head at the impossible-to-follow babble of Japanese, English, French, Gaelic and Afrikaans. He had been paid to perform for four hours and when the last song in the playlist arrived, Michael Jackson's "Thriller", he jacked up the volume.

Surprisingly, everyone knew the dance. "How are you doing this right now?" Kaelan shouted to Mina.

"It's a line dance! Line dancing is popular in Japan!" she shouted back, then she whooped as Zach showed off a few impromptu moves at the very end. The DJ accepted their exuberant applause graciously and gathered up his equipment while everyone mobbed to the bar. "Where'd Rei and Joe go?" Mina asked, giggling at the rhyme.

"If they're around somewhere, it's best just to let them be. They could be getting up to anything." Although slurred, Kaelan's advice was sound enough. "Now we should vote on who has the best costume."

"I vote for Rei!"

"Me too!" Usagi added.

"Me three!" said Makoto. "Hers is the prettiest."

"But she's not here, and Usagi's is the cutest," Zach stated. Mamoru simply nodded.

"Ami's is the most historically accurate," Nicholas put in.

"Yours doesn't look bad, either," she returned.

Kaelan threw his hands up in exasperation. "Fine! Everybody fucking wins! Except Joe. He didn't even try."

"He doesn't really have to with a body like that," Mina said, earning giggles of agreement. "Where's this pool that was mentioned in my invitation? I want to cool off!"

Kaelan's eyebrows rose suggestively. "Right this way… And someone bring the booze!"

"Oui monsieur!" Zach saluted, gathering random bottles into his arms and following dutifully.

Mamoru was the last to leave the ballroom, but by the time he got to the pool almost everyone was already undressed and jumping in. He shielded his eyes only to realize that he couldn't see anything below the water because of the dark blue tiling. _'Normal boys would be excited to see half-naked girls splashing around…'_ He made himself useful by gathering everyone's costume components and setting them on the patio table. Then he sighed and lay back in a lounge chair, staring at the winking stars visible through the dusty glass ceiling.

He became lost in thought until water splashed his leg. "You're not coming in?" Usagi asked. Even though her make-up was smudged, she still looked pretty.

Mamoru shook his head. "I figured I'd stay here in case someone needs rescuing."

"What do you think could happen?"

"Well…" A quick survey showed that Nicholas, Zach, Makoto and Ami were attempting to play basketball. In the furthest corner Mina had her arms up on the ledge and Kaelan was treading water in front of her. They appeared to be having a very intimate conversation. "I, um, ah… I might need to save someone from drowning."

Usagi just laughed at him. "I got banished because I can't reach the bottom, so the least you could do is come over here and keep me company. I promise I won't splash you."

"You already did," Mamoru pointed out, but he got up and sat down before her anyway.

She rested her chin on her forearms. "I meant to tell you earlier that that tuxedo looks really good on you. And it seems that playing DDR taught you some decent moves!"

"I was just going along with you… I really am a bad dancer."

"Well it didn't feel bad to me," Usagi returned. "Why are you always putting yourself down?" His mouth opened but the words were halted by her hand falling on his. "You're great, Mamo-chan. You're nice and generous and smart… And something tells me you don't want to swim with us because you're intimidated by the other guys."

"That's not…" he faltered. Joe hadn't hesitated to show off his body. Kaelan had lean muscle, Nicholas had bulk, and Zach was confident despite his slenderness. Mamoru didn't have any definition and he knew his glow-in-the-dark skin wasn't something girls found attractive.

"You shouldn't care what anyone else thinks," Usagi said as if reading his mind. "Just remember that at least your body is _healthy_. You don't have any scary diseases like the ones you and Ami-chan study." Before he could reply she smiled and kicked off the wall to rejoin the others, leaving him dazed.

Without second-guessing his actions, he returned to the table and carefully removed the borrowed tux. He then stood at the edge of the pool in a pair of dark blue boxer briefs. "Do it, Mamoru!" Nicholas bellowed. Everyone else yelled at him to jump in. After catching Usagi's eye and giving her a smile, he dove into the water.

* * *

**A/N**

_Am I being a little heavy-handed with certain literary devices? Maybe._

_While trying to figure out everyone's costumes, I thought of Zach as a Drama King and it turned into him dressing up as Jareth._

_Line dancing in Japan is better known as para-para._

_I discovered kwaito music and dance while researching South Africa. It's cool, but picturing giant Nicholas dancing like that makes me giggle._


	7. VII: The Morning After

**Chapter Seven: The Morning After**

Ami woke up suddenly after it felt like she had swallowed her own tongue. She blinked rapidly to focus her vision, and then she realized her throat was extremely dry. There was a convenient glass of water and some aspirin on the table beside the bed. _'Whose bed is this?'_ she wondered. She turned over and saw long black hair strewn over the other pillow. "Rei-chan?"

Rei mumbled something before her eyes opened. "Good morning, Ami-chan."

"What happened? I know I didn't drink _that_ much last night."

The other girl laughed a little. "You didn't. I was outside talking with Joe and by the time we came back, everyone was asleep. I figured since this bed was so huge we could share."

"Must be a guest bedroom," Ami reasoned. "We should probably find out if the others are still here." When she lowered her feet to the floor she realized she was wearing pants and a loose t-shirt. "Whose pajamas are these?" she asked in even greater confusion. Rei only shrugged.

Ami tried hard to recall last night's sequence of events. She remembered having a melon-flavored cocktail, attempting to tango with Mamoru, doing the "Thriller" dance, then messing around in the pool. She'd taken off her costume and gone swimming in the slip beneath it. Who had redressed her in dry clothes, and what happened to the other girls' undergarments?

A triangular window at the end of the hall revealed a staircase, but upon descending it they found themselves in another larger hall with multiple doors. "Should we open them?" Rei whispered. She had no idea what time it was.

"I don't know…" Ami didn't want to walk in on a sprawling naked boy.

"I'll check," Rei decided, and opened the nearest one to discover a linen closet. The adjacent door had a coat hanging from the back of it that she recognized as Mamoru's. A plethora of plants indicated the next room as Joe's, and the one after that was Zach's; Rei saw theatrical posters on the walls and a shelf overflowing with books. The door directly across from his opened up to a bathroom. "This is larger than my dorm room!" Ami exclaimed.

They pressed on, happy to find yet another set of descending stairs. For curiosity's sake, Rei popped her head into the room just to the left of them and easily discerned Nicholas' bulk in the bed. "The others must be below us somewhere," she reasoned.

"Wait, there's one more room." Ami pointed past the stairs to a set of double doors.

When Rei tugged on the handle they didn't budge. "It's locked. Now let's figure out the rest of this place."

The stairs deposited them in a great room with a vaulted ceiling. Three long couches formed a U shape around the fireplace, and two of them held sleeping female forms. Makoto's hair was hanging off the end of one couch and Usagi's head was sandwiched between two pillows on another.

The brunette groaned like a zombie when Ami patted her shoulder, her eyes opening slowly a moment later. "Ugh… What time is it?" A throbbing headache answered her and she brought a hand to her temple.

Ami fished the aspirin from her pocket; she hadn't drank enough to have a hangover. "Take this," she said, handing Makoto the water from a side table. She wondered who had been considerate enough to leave it. The green-eyed girl took both pills and downed the whole glass before forcing herself to sit up. Apparently Nicholas' mixed drinks were much stronger than they tasted.

Usagi fought to keep Rei in focus. "You're not wearing those contacts you had last night… or your sunglasses. I've never seen you without them."

"It doesn't hurt my eyes to look at you," she said with a smile.

"What do you mean?"

"Later," Rei answered. "First, let's find out where your underwear went."

The blonde extricated herself from the blankets and swayed once on her feet. "I think there's a restroom on the other side of the stairs and a laundry room somewhere near the kitchen. Maybe they put our clothes in the dryer."

Ami didn't follow them just yet, frowning as she counted on her fingers. "One, two, three… Where's Mina-chan?"

* * *

Kaelan awoke because he was on fire. He sat bolt upright in bed, flinging the down comforter away and kicking off the sheets while gasping for breath. He could feel sweat beginning to dry on his skin, but the room was still incredibly warm. He got up and stumbled over to the window, lifting it to blast himself with November air. Only then did he realize he was stark naked.

"A cold shower might be more effective," said a feminine voice. Kaelan whirled around to find Mina wearing one of his bathrobes and dabbing at her hair with a towel. Her eyes drifted south before returning to his face.

"Why is it so bloody hot in here?" he demanded while retrieving another silk robe from his closet.

"You lit a fire before we went to bed," she answered.

"Before _we_…?" He glanced at the hearth to see the ashy remains, then a smug smile turned his lips. "I could get used to waking up with you."

"Oh please…" the girl said, rolling her eyes. "We both know this was a one-time thing that only happened because we were completely wasted."

Ouch. Kaelan thought she'd really been interested in him last night, but maybe that was wishful thinking. "We could get back in bed to make it a recurring thing."

Mina scoffed at the suggestion. "No, thank you. Once was quite enough."

His expression fell. Did that mean he had performed badly? He could barely remember bringing Mina up to his room, much less the actual sex. What if it really _was_ bad? She was the first girl he'd slept with since coming to the States. "I guess I'm a little… out of practice," he muttered.

"It's not that," she stated. "We were both so drunk we didn't think to use protection."

"Oh shit…" Kaelan felt his heartbeat increase drastically. He didn't even have condoms in his nightstand. "You're not on the pill or anything?"

"I usually get a Depo shot, but I've been so busy with school that I missed this month's. Don't worry, I'll go get Plan B today."

He nodded slowly, a little stunned by how calmly she was handling this. What if Mina wasn't aware of her options and just went straight home only to find out in a few months that she was pregnant? Would she have an abortion or give the baby up for adoption? If she kept it, would she ask him for support or attempt to raise the baby on her own? Would she drop out of college?

Thinking about each potential future that could have stemmed from this night caused a feeling of dread to well up inside Kaelan. He'd never been so reckless back home. He _always_ used protection because he wasn't ready to become a father just yet. The party last night was just supposed to be a celebration of his favorite holiday, not an excuse to let all his good sense fly out the window. "I'm terribly sorry," he said earnestly.

Mina shrugged and gave him a half-smile. "Don't worry about it. I never expect guys to think about contraception in the heat of the moment."

_'That doesn't absolve of us responsibility,'_ he thought. But since Mina clearly had a plan to deal with their act of lust, he allowed himself to relax. "I'd better go check out the damage."

"Yeah, speaking of damage…" Mina indicated his entire bedroom. "What happened to my bra and panties? They were expensive."

Kaelan pressed a hand to his head, forcing himself to remember. "You swam in them, right? Then I think most of us showered in the pool room…"

"Let's just go downstairs and ask." She stepped into the hall and Kaelan followed a moment later. As he closed the door behind them he saw Zach exiting the big bathroom. The blond boy noticed them, grinned, and gave Kaelan a thumbs-up. He smiled sheepishly.

A delicious scent reached his nose before he even reached the first floor. Nicholas was the only one of his tenants who really cooked, but he had a very unrefined palate. Cinnamon and nutmeg lured him to the kitchen where he found Makoto and Ami standing at the stove and Rei slicing fruit at the counter. "Ohayo," she said to Mina, then greeted the boy in English. He wasn't at all mad that they'd raided the fridge.

"You should go wake up the guys," Usagi said from the cushioned nook. "An epic party deserves an epic breakfast!"

Kaelan simply nodded and trudged back upstairs, barging into Nicholas' room first (since Zach was already awake) and yelling at him to get up. "What's that smell?" he mumbled.

"Breakfast. The girls are cooking."

He went "mmm" and the California king bed creaked slightly as he scooted to the edge, then he stood up, stretched, and gave a mighty yawn. Kaelan entered Joe's room next and shook his exposed foot. "Wake up, breakfast time!"

"Go away," Joe growled.

"You're not hungry?"

He shifted slightly to glare at Kaelan. "In three days I've only gotten ten hours of sleep. So fuck off."

The Irishman knew better than to provoke him and retreated back to the hall, wondering if Mamoru would be just as cranky. When he knocked on his door, he answered it fully dressed. "There's food downstairs if you want it," Kaelan said. He still felt sweaty and returned to his master bedroom to shower.

Mamoru was the second least-rested person in the house. After everyone finished messing around in the pool they'd rinsed off, then Zach donated his pajamas for the girls to wear. They all sat around drinking even more until passing out in the lounge chairs. When Joe finally reappeared, he and Mamoru worked to get everyone into bed. Because Nicholas was so heavy they only managed to drag him to a couch in the great room, but he must have woken up at some point and retreated to his abode. "Where did Rei go?" Mamoru inquired.

"She ran home to get something," Joe groggily answered as he carried Ami up to the guest room. He was so exhausted that Mamoru told him to go to sleep while he stayed up to gather all the soaked undergarments and leave aspirin and water on the side tables. He doubted anyone would thank him in the morning.

When Mamoru entered the kitchen he was surprised to find a buffet of pancakes, bacon, eggs, toast and fruit waiting on the island. The girls were all standing around in their colorful borrowed attire, but they looked significantly more attractive in the morning than his housemates, of which Zach and Nicholas were the only ones present. "Was it you who washed the ladies' unmentionables?" the former asked.

"Yes, I did."

"Thanks for that," Mina said, "but for future reference, you should always dry lingerie on low heat."

Mamoru blushed even though he knew he would never again handle four pairs of panties (one of them being a thong), a lace-trimmed slip, a camisole, a bandeau and a satin demi bra. He blushed even harder as he tried to remember which garments belonged to each girl.

"I guess after this we'll head home, freshen up and give your pajamas back," Usagi said.

"Or you can change here," Rei replied. "I went to my apartment to get clothes for you all."

"That was considerate of you, Rei-chan," Ami smiled, then gazed at Mamoru. "And thank you for attending to us. To be honest I was a little nervous about staying in the same house as five boys."

Zach looked up from his plate. "What do you think this is– a house of miscreants? We're perfect gentlemen." As if on cue a belch escaped Nicholas, earning surprised expressions all around. Then Usagi started giggling, her laughter contagious.

"My compliments to the chef," Nicholas said. His face turned beet red, but a glance at Makoto revealed that a tiny smile had turned her lips. Zach then patted him reassuringly on the shoulder.

After they finished eating, the girls went to the upstairs bathroom to change into Rei's clothes, then headed out to her car. Mamoru handed over their costumes and accessories. He waved and watched the Acura turn onto Cherry Loop before returning inside. He felt bad for not eating very much of the feast Makoto had prepared, but he just wasn't that hungry. While he was rinsing dishes Kaelan finally reappeared. "The girls just left," he said.

"Damn, I was going to give Rei something for having the best costume... and I wanted Mina's number."

"Why do you need to call her when you already nailed her?" Zach asked. Mamoru and Nicholas dropped their jaws.

"Because… reasons," Kaelan answered. He nibbled on a strip of bacon while staring at the floor. Was Planned Parenthood even open on Sunday? What if Mina couldn't get any emergency contraception and ended up being pregnant? The baby would probably be really cute… Shaking his head to banish the image, he looked at the calendar beside the fridge and saw a starred date. "Mamoru, what'd you do with my tux?"

"It's folded in my room. I can have it dry cleaned if you want."

"It's probably fine. You wore it for, what, five hours? I need it for a charity auction next week."

Nicholas nearly spit out his orange juice. "Since when do _you_ go to charity auctions?"

"Since I want to contribute to this community," Kaelan declared. "It's an auction for old weapons from around the world. I could end up with a sword that once belonged to a Viking!"

* * *

When the date of the charity event arrived, Kaelan spent several hours getting dressed; however, when he got to the tie he stared helplessly at his reflection. It was a weekday and he thought most of his housemates were attending classes, but when he passed Zach's room he heard papers shuffling and peered through the slightly open door. "Hello?"

"Merde!" Zach shouted, spinning around in his chair. "Why are you sneaking up on me like that?"

"I didn't think you were here," Kaelan answered, "but to be honest, I could use your help. Can you tie a tie?" He held up the emerald green silk accessory.

"Can _I_ tie a tie?" Zach deadpanned. "I wear at least three a week. What style do you want? Windsor? Pratt? Prince Albert?" Kaelan stared at him blankly and he groaned. "_Every_ man should know how to tie a tie. I'll teach you a really fancy method called the Trinity. Watch carefully…" After a five minute tutorial, Kaelan admired the knot in Zach's full-length mirror. It definitely gave him a regal air and doubled as a nod to his heritage.

His Maserati brought him to the Westin Hotel a half hour before the auction was to start, meaning he had to mingle. He wasn't worried about talking to anyone as much as being ridiculed for his age. Now that his selfish spending was over, he wanted to make a name for himself as a philanthropist. Anyone who read the _Seattle Times_ article about him probably thought he was just an irresponsible twenty-three year-old millionaire.

The room contained just over fifty people, all of whom were older than him. The person closest to his age was an archaeologist in her thirties who earned money by selling her finds to museums and collected masks for her personal collection. Kaelan met a man in his fifties who was very excited to bid on a sixteenth-century katana and another who was interested in Ottoman and Qajar dynasty weaponry. He learned a great deal about most of the items before they even appeared and was consequently excited when the first sword, a Qing dynasty jian, was rolled out.

Kaelan got into an intense bidding war for a Scottish dirk with a stag antler handle from the Middle Ages, but gave up when it reached a hundred thousand dollars. "Next up, we have a sword of unknown origin recently excavated from the Yonaguni ruins off the southern coast of Japan…"

People murmured their disapproval, but one look at the sword and Kaelan knew he had to have it. The blade itself was the most unique thing he'd ever seen. The auctioneer said it had been carved from a single chunk of ilmenite, whatever that was. The sword's composition attracted a few buyers, but they gave up when it reached twenty thousand. "Do we have any more offers? Mr. Burke has the high bid. Twenty thousand going once… going twice…" He banged the gavel. "Sold to Mr. Burke for the price of just twenty thousand dollars! Young man, your personal vehicle would have fetched a higher price at this fundraiser than this item." A few people chuckled at the remark and Kaelan gave his best indifferent shrug before leaving his seat to claim the sword.

He wrote a check, accepted some paperwork for tax purposes, then clung to the sword's wooden case while a valet retrieved his car. During the drive he kept glancing at the rearview mirror to make sure the case was in the backseat, thinking it would vanish by the time he got home. His heart pounded in anticipation; he very much wanted to feel it in his hand, to heft its weight and see if the ancient crystal edges had been rendered harmless by time.

Since he held the case in both hands he tapped the front door with his foot until it opened. "KAELAN GOT A SWORD!" Zach hollered, and as soon as he stepped inside he could hear footsteps tromping down the stairs. Joe and Nicholas crowded him as he gingerly set the case on a couch.

"This thing is a bit unusual," he warned. "It was found in some underwater Japanese ruins and its age is undetermined. It doesn't match anything from Japanese history or any other neighboring cultures."

"Who cares? Just show us!"

Kaelan took a deep breath, unfastened the locks, and lifted the lid. The great room became silent enough to hear a pin drop.

* * *

Mamoru was almost ready to earn his license, but until then Joe picked him up at UW and let him drive home. He was so focused on the road that it didn't occur to him Joe had remained silent the whole way, and when Mamoru glanced at him he was staring straight ahead as if in a trance. "Are you all right?"

"Kaelan bought a sword from the auction," he answered quietly.

"Oh, that's great! What kind of sword? Where did it come from?"

"No one knows… It's sort of a mystery. I've been searching for info online all day but never found anything. Kaelan received a page of research notes but they weren't very helpful."

Now Mamoru was excited to take a look at it. He parked the Samurai in Joe's bay of the garage and found the other three boys seated in the kitchen. They all had cups of hot tea and were bundled up in blankets even though a fire was lit in the great room's hearth. "Where's the sword?" he asked.

An odd thing happened then: they all faced him at the exact same time, their eyes wide with fear. Mamoru's expression fell. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"Don't touch it," Nicholas said, his voice nearly inaudible.

"Touch what, the sword?" The engineer nodded. "Is it still sharp or something?"

"Very," Zach answered, extending his arm to show off a still-red cut.

Mamoru smirked. "Okay, I won't wave it around like you idiots did." No retort came. The three of them just stared at the ripples of tea made by their trembling hands. Now Mamoru was certain there was something very wrong. Had one of them injured another while fooling around with the sword? "Take off those blankets," he demanded. They obliged, but he was only slightly relieved to see that they looked fine. No bruises, no cuts on anyone besides Zach, no slashed clothes…

Then he saw it. Mamoru grabbed both of Kaelan's wrists to bring his hands into the light. On both of his palms were white patches of flesh that were beginning to blister. Zach's were the same, but only Nicholas' right hand was affected. "How did you get frostnip? It's not cold enough outside for that."

"The sword did it," Joe said from behind. He was leaning against the kitchen's entry frame, looking on warily "Kaelan held it first, then Zach, then Nicholas. Before he handed it to me I noticed what was happening and didn't dare touch it."

"The handle would have to be far below freezing to affect blood so quickly." He examined their hands again and a shiver went down his spine, like their fear of the weapon was being transferred to him. He felt their foreheads, backs and chests, but their skin temperatures were completely normal. Frostnip didn't usually affect the whole body unless one stood buck naked in a blizzard.

At a loss for explanations, Mamoru asked to see the sword. Joe led him into the great room and pointed at the blade lying on the carpet. Nicholas had dropped it and they were too scared to pick it up again. He knelt beside it and held his hand over the grip, which was inlaid with pure silver. Just above the crossguard was an upward-facing crescent; the tips curved inward until they met at the fuller. Mamoru became transfixed by the unblemished black crystal blade, his vision beginning to tunnel as he stared into its endless facets. The elegant design belied its true power, power he wanted to wield for himself…

A hand suddenly prevented his fingers from taking up the sword and with a gasp Mamoru looked into Joe's face. His expression was a mixture of anger, concern and fear. "Don't they have folktales in Japan, Chamoru? Aren't there legends of evil spirits possessing objects?"

Rational thoughts returned quickly. "You think Kaelan bought a possessed sword?" The idea sounded ludicrous.

"Maybe not, but there's definitely something weird about it." Joe released him with a sigh. "You couldn't feel any cold radiating off the handle, could you? But somehow the others received ice burns."

Mamoru nodded and backed away from the glimmering weapon, but not before grabbing the research notes. "Discovered among the Yonaguni ruins…" he mumbled. "The blade is made from… ilmenite?"

"Yes, ilmenite. It's a weakly magnetic iron-titanium-oxide mineral similar to hematite. Ore is typically ground down and refined for titanium-based applications."

"But the blade looks like it was cut from one solid hunk of crystal."

Joe shrugged. "That wouldn't have been difficult. It only has a hardness of five to six Mohs, same as feldspar."

Mamoru gazed at him narrowly. "What are you, an amateur gemologist?"

"Not at all!" he chuckled. "I'm only familiar with it because I did a huge research project sophomore year about terraforming the Moon. We were asked to create hypothetical environments. Mine featured Japanese peace lilies because they produce more oxygen than most plants, just like hemp. While researching oxygen production I came across ilmenite. It's a mineral native to the Moon, and if refined on the lunar surface it could provide oxygen for cosmonauts. Also, ilmenite was first discovered in Russia." Joe grinned pridefully.

Mamoru sat down to absorb this information. His head was spinning with theories but none of them were logical. The sword certainly didn't _look_ Japanese, so why had it been in Yonaguni? Some scientists believed Yonaguni was the site of an ancient, technologically advanced culture due to the construction of the pyramid, which was on-par with ancient Egyptian and Mesoamerican styles. Some believed it to be the real Atlantis. Others said it had simply been a structure on an island that sank into the ocean.

He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Joe returning the sword to its case until he sucked in a breath and shook his hand. Mamoru jumped up and watched in morbid fascination as a thin white line appeared on Joe's calloused palm and slowly spread outward, claiming every skin cell that had touched the hilt. His fingers turned the color of porcelain, but surprisingly no blisters appeared. "Maybe it's more severe the longer you hold it."

"Maybe we should throw it into the Mariana Trench," Joe said seriously. "This could be a reaction to poison that only the wielder knew about. Tomorrow I'm taking everyone to the hospital on campus to see if we've contracted an ancient disease from Pandora's Box."

Although Mamoru laughed, he thought it was a wise decision. How could something so nefarious go up for auction to the unassuming public? Hadn't the archaeologists who found it tested anything but the composition of the blade? "Twenty-thousand dollars for something that could end up killing us all…" he muttered, retiring to his room for the night.

* * *

Usagi's dream of showcasing her latest designs at New York Fashion Week was interrupted by the sound of a cat. She thought it was part of her dream until she heard something thumping against the sliding glass door. "Mako-chan, is that you?" she whispered. An incomprehensible response came from the other side of the room. She attempted to tune out every other sound and focus only on the cat to make sure she wasn't just hearing things. After a few minutes there came a meow followed by the shrill noise of claws on glass. Usagi got out of bed and shuffled through the living room, pausing to turn on a light near the door to the balcony.

A pair of bright yellow eyes stared up at her. Usagi squinted and was able to discern the form of a black cat sitting right outside the door. _'It must belong to one of our neighbors,'_ she reasoned, and unlocked the door to let it inside. The cat immediately began making figure-eights around her legs. "Well aren't you friendly? What's your name, kitty?" Much to her chagrin it did not have a collar or tag. "I guess your owner will know."

The cat laid its ears back at that and Usagi stopped petting it. It wandered away from her, sniffed the coffee table, Makoto's plant stands and the sofa, and proceeded to rub its face against each surface. Usagi noticed that in place of a tail it only had a short tuft of fur. "What happened to your tail, kitty? Is it supposed to be like that?" The cat looked at her, winked, and trotted around the corner. She followed it and gasped as it jumped into Makoto's bed. "Bad kitty!" she whispered, plucking the cat off her comforter. But she had moved too slowly. Makoto mumbled something and sat up, her green eyes blinking slowly.

"Usa-chan? What was that?" The cat mewed as an answer and she drew back. "Where did that thing come from?"

"It's not a _thing_," Usagi said, "it's a kitty, and it was on the balcony."

Makoto switched on her table lamp to examine the feline in her friend's arms. It purred as she scratched its chin, and she noticed it was jet black except for a patch of white fur on its head. It appeared healthy, meaning it likely wasn't a stray, but how had it gotten to the balcony? Their apartment was on the third floor and there was a four-foot gap between railings. She groaned when she checked the time– it was three in the morning. "We can return it to its rightful owner before we go to class tomorrow. It must live around here somewhere."

The cat gave Usagi a rather imploring look that tugged at her heartstrings. "What if it doesn't, Mako-chan? What if it's a stray and wants _us_ to be its owners?"

"Then you get to buy its food, toys and litter 'cause I'm too busy to take care of any pets."

"Yay!" the blonde quietly cheered. She knew Michiru would approve of the cat; it was such a sweetheart. When Usagi got back into bed the cat curled up between her arm and the wall, and she pondered a name while stroking its soft fur. "Kuroko? Kage? Hoshi?" The white patched looked more like a crescent moon than a star. "Maybe just… Luna." Yes, that sounded right. "Good night, Luna-chan." The cat purred contentedly as a response.

* * *

**A/N**

_Before writing this chapter I thought to myself, " 'the morning after' would be the perfect title. Don't I have that song in my iTunes?" And indeed I did._

_Science is fun! If you are familiar with Bill Nye the Science Guy, it might tickle you to know that way back in my sophomore year of high school I took a marine biology class with a teacher who was a guest on that show._


	8. VIII: Under the Sky

**Chapter Eight: Under the Sky**

"Usagi!" The blonde sat bolt upright in bed upon hearing the tone of Michiru's voice. "What is this cat doing here?"

"Why are you asking me?" she asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

Michiru raised an eyebrow. "You're the one with the biggest weakness for animals." She directed her pursed lips at the feline winding around her ankles. "Well, at least she's friendly."

"And cute! I think she looks like a mini bobcat."

"That's because she's a Japanese bobtail, which means she probably belongs to someone nearby. You should put a found cat notice online and ask around to see if anyone lost a pet recently." That was all she had to say on the matter; she grabbed her violin case and left.

Since Usagi couldn't go back to sleep, she made herself some toast with jam and ate it while Luna watched her from another chair. When Makoto returned from her jog she tilted her head at how at-ease the cat looked, as if she owned the place already. "Lucky you," the brunette said to her friend, "I checked the classifieds while I was out and there were no missing cat ads."

"Oh, that's great! You know I've always wanted a pet, Mako-chan. My mom is allergic to cats and dogs so I only ever had boring fish."

"I don't think fish count as pets," Makoto said while pulling ingredients from the fridge. "They're more like decoration."

"See? That's why I think we should keep Luna!"

"I'm fine with her as long as she doesn't jump on me when I'm asleep." Luna apologetically lowered her head, earning a kindly pat from Usagi. "What did Michiru say?"

"She thinks I should still ask around…" The blonde's eyes widened abruptly. "But what if someone lies to us and we hand over Luna and they end up abusing her?"

Makoto sighed even though it was a reasonable concern. "We could ask people to describe her. We'll just put her breed, gender and where we found her. If they don't mention that moon marking, we'll tell them to waste someone else's time."

Usagi grinned at the prospect of telling off people with bad intentions. After getting dressed she went to the nearest Walgreens to pick up supplies for Luna, even grabbing all-natural cat food to appease Makoto, who always said animals deserved to eat healthy. She set up the litter box in the bathroom, the food dish at the base of the kitchen counter, and sprinkled a few toys around the living room. Luna only sniffed them before staring up at the girl. "Now you behave today, kitty. You have to make a good impression on Michiru-chan, so no shredding the furniture. Mako-chan will be back before me to keep you company."

Luna meowed as she left, causing a pang of sadness. Usagi just wanted to cuddle her all day even though the cat seemed rather stoic and probably wouldn't appreciate the attention. She hoped that Luna really was a stray; she didn't want her to end up being someone else's cat. She felt Luna _belonged_ with her.

* * *

Finals arrived along with the end of autumn quarter. Mamoru and Nicholas had testing all day, but Joe and Zach were free since they were both working on big projects. Kaelan found them in the conservatory that was now full of exotic fruit-bearing trees, tropical flowers, and water fountains connected to a complex irrigation system. "I think it's time for another party," he declared.

"Don't tell me you want to celebrate Thanksgiving," Zach said. "I'm the only American around here."

Kaelan shook his head. "No, I want to have a star party. The Leonid meteor shower peaks tomorrow night. I thought we could invite the girls again."

"As long as no one passes out by the pool this time. You bastards were heavy." Joe set his pruners down and smiled. "We could throw some pillows and blankets in the gazebo. It has a perfect view of the Olympic mountains."

"Brilliant! This is why I let you live here. Someone text our mates so they can tell the girls what's happening."

Mamoru's phone chimed just as he handed in his exam. His professor raised an eyebrow as the boy scrambled to silence it. "You're very lucky, Chiba. If that had gone off a minute ago, I would've thrown you out into the hall."

"Sorry, Professor." Mamoru bowed and the woman waved him away. As soon as he left the room he checked the message.

**"Hey Mamoru! We're having a party tomorrow to celebrate some falling space rocks! If you think Usagi, Ami and all the other girls will want to come stay up really late with us, send them an invite. And Kaelan says we all have to cook something for dinner."**

He wasn't sure if Zach was being serious and consulted a celestial events app one of his peers had downloaded. Sure enough, the Leonids were ongoing. Now that he was no longer stressed out about finals, he thought it would be nice to spend some quality time with Usagi. He also couldn't wait to show her his new car. **"Happy end of the quarter, Usako!" **he texted.** "Would you and Makoto be interested in coming over tomorrow to watch a meteor shower? I understand if you want to rest after all your finals."**

**"I still have one left, but that sounds fun! I bet you guys have a great view since you're so far from all the city lights. Should we bring food or anything?"**

** "We have it covered. Just be sure to dress warm. Oh, and I'll be picking you up this time.****"**

Mamoru stowed his phone and began the rather long walk to the library. He had to turn up the collar of his jacket to keep the persistent chill off his neck and shoved his hands deep into woolen pockets. _'It might even snow before December,'_ he thought, and wondered if Joe could teach him how to drive safely on ice.

The temperature inside the library was a nice seventy degrees Fahrenheit, but he wouldn't be staying long enough to enjoy it. He spied Ami at the front desk and she looked up when he approached, flashing a smile. "How did your exam go?" she asked.

"It went well. I almost got in trouble because my phone went off right when I finished." Mamoru noticed that she was coloring several brain diagrams. "Is that _your_ final?"

"Yes. Pretty silly, isn't it? I have to label all the lobes and functions without using notes."

"Well there's the challenge," he said, but he knew it was a piece of cake for her. "We're having a Leonid-viewing party at the mansion tomorrow night. Do you want to come?"

The girl grinned delightedly. "Yes I do! I was just wondering where I could go to watch them since it's much too bright around here. I even convinced Mina to come with me if I found a place." Her expression suddenly hardened, making Mamoru recoil a little. "I don't think she should be around Kaelan, though."

"Why not? We all know they were together… It was consensual, right?"

"Yes, but I had to go with her to get Plan B. Mina told me she hadn't gotten her trimonthly birth control shot and they didn't use protection." Ami was practically glaring at the boy. "Your landlord could have gotten my best friend pregnant."

Mamoru held up his hand. "Kaelan doesn't deserve all the blame. They were both inebriated. They both made the decision not to be safe." Now he knew why Kaelan had wanted Mina's number: to see if she'd followed up on getting emergency contraception.

"Yes, but if Mina _had_ gotten pregnant, _she_ would be the one living with the consequences. Kaelan is four years older than her. He should have known better."

"I understand your point of view," Mamoru said calmly, "but I think you should let Mina make her own decision. This is like when…" He didn't finish saying "when Makoto wanted to keep me away from Usagi". It was clear Ami accepted the fact that her best friend had casual sex, and her concern was valid, but Mina was responsible enough to take care of herself. "I'm sure the guys will agree to an alcohol-free evening if it means you'll both join us."

Ami sighed, then gave a tiny smile. "They can drink if they want. But if anyone tries to get fresh with me, I'll have Makoto beat them up."

"Deal," Mamoru laughed. "See you tomorrow, then. And pass the star party invite on to Rei!"

The next night, Michiru answered the door when Mamoru knocked. "Usagi is in the shower, so you'll have to wait a few minutes," she said while showing him in.

"Help yourself to some cookies!" Makoto shouted from her room.

Mamoru eyed the platter and wasn't sure which one to pick because they all looked delectable. He ended up choosing a white and blue iced present, but as soon as he bit into it something nudged his leg and he jumped back from the table. Glancing down revealed a black cat with wide yellow eyes staring up at him.

"Oh, that's Luna-chan," Michiru said while pouring a cup of tea. "She showed up earlier this week and _someone_ begged me to keep her. She's a good kitty, though."

The boy held out his hand for Luna to sniff. Her little black nose wiggled slightly, then a pink tongue darted out to lick his fingertip. "I probably taste like leather steering wheel," he chuckled, for the cat laid back her ears and retreated beneath the table.

"Usagi _did_ tell me you have a car now," Michiru remarked. "What did you decide to buy?"

"A Mercedes E-Class coupe," he answered. "The guys wanted me to get something really sporty, but this car feels good to drive."

"That's what matters," the brunette smiled. "When I was still in high school, I met someone who taught me how to drive high-end cars like Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Jaguars and Porsches. She said if I ever beat her in a race she would buy me any car I wanted." The smile almost faded to nothing. "It's been a few years since I've seen her. Since I don't need to drive here, I doubt I'd win if we ever did get the chance to race. I'm out of practice."

Makoto had been listening to the story from her room and entered the kitchen once Michiru fell silent. "Sure you don't want to come with us tonight? I feel bad leaving you here all alone."

"I'll be fine as long as I have my violin. Maybe Luna can help me practice. If she cringes I'll know I have the wrong note." The cat's meow of agreement solicited a warm smile from Michiru, then she rinsed out her teacup and went around the corner to knock on the bathroom door. "Usa-chan! It's very rude to keep your guests waiting, especially when they offer to chauffeur you around!"

"I'm drying off now!" Usagi shouted back. "I don't want my hair to freeze!"

Makoto sighed and began cleaning the kitchen even though it was already tidy. Mamoru slowly ate another cookie, wondering if he should make small-talk. He almost choked on the first bite of his third one because Usagi stuck her damp head around the corner, her shy expression making him laugh. The green-eyed girl planted a hand on her hip. "He's already seen you in your underwear. A towel isn't anything to get excited about." Mamoru still turned around so she could slink past the kitchen. He heard drawers sliding open and closed, then she returned in skinny jeans, short boots and a white sweater. "About time," Makoto grumbled.

"It's only ten-thirty. We still have plenty of time to catch the shower."

"Well I'm hungry," the blonde stated, locking the door after them. "We didn't make dinner 'cause you said there was food."

Mamoru nodded. "There is. Nicholas was putting steaks on the grill when I left, and Joe made mulled cider to keep us warm." They exited the stairwell and stood on the sidewalk for a moment. "It's this one," the boy smiled, placing his hand on the hood of his car.

Usagi's face lit up. "Ooh, it's so stylish!"

"Now you just need the wardrobe to match," Makoto muttered as she settled into the large backseat.

"Well, about that…" Mamoru pushed a button to start the vehicle. "Usako, I was wondering if you wanted to go shopping with me before Christmas, since you'll be visiting your family. I want a new wardrobe as a present to myself." He looked at the blonde from the corner of his eye and found her staring at him in awe. "I guess that's a yes?"

Makoto scoffed lightly. "You have no idea what you're in for."

* * *

The two girls bounced fashion ideas off one another during the drive, mentioning many designers Mamoru had never heard of. Once home he parked in Mantikora's old space in the garage, then led the girls along a path curving around the house. Joe had done a great deal of landscaping to the backyard, transforming the patch of dead grass and bark into a soft carpet of moss. He'd planted winter flowers and shrubs around the gazebo, pressure washed the back deck and hung lights from the surrounding trees, creating a very tranquil space.

Nicholas stood before a grill on the deck wearing an apron that barely fit. He heard footsteps approach but wasn't expecting Makoto to suddenly appear over his shoulder. "Smells good," she said. "I love peppercorns on steak."

He nodded and began flipping them over the low coals. "The marinade is a super-secret family recipe, so I can't tell you what's in it. I will say that the peppercorns are for flavor contrast."

Makoto put a finger on her nose. "I bet I can guess what's in it. I smell oranges, cardamom, maybe a splash of sherry—"

"Keep it down!" the boy said, nudging her with his elbow. "This recipe wins my dad a ribbon every year at the annual barbecue competition in Joburg. It has to stay secret!"

"Well I'm not going to South Africa any time soon, so you don't have to worry about me stealing his ribbons." She gave him a return nudge with her hip. "Is there anything I can eat right now? I'm starving."

He pointed at the screen door with his spatula. "Everything's inside staying warm. Help yourself."

Just as the brunette reached for the handle, Usagi came running up the steps. "Is there food in there? All I had for lunch was a pizza bagel!" She followed her friend to the kitchen where they found a few platters of finger foods, including fried zucchini and mushrooms, Panko-breaded oysters, and gorgonzola cheese spread with crackers.

"Have at it!" Zach said, startling them. They hadn't even noticed him cooking at the stove. "You two are the first ones here, and Joe and Kaelan are on a mission to collect all the spare bedding in the house."

He didn't have to tell them twice. "Wha're you making?" Usagi asked after cramming food into her mouth.

"This is fettuccine with scallops in a Pernod cream sauce." He grinned as the girls practically drooled. "We're also having fresh rye bread and chikuzenni, whatever that is."

"That sounds _amazing_," Usagi gushed. Makoto agreed wholeheartedly, uncaring of how many calories she was consuming right now. They both stood at the island picking things off the trays until Zach offered them each a mug of apple cider, which they drank greedily.

"Are there cloves in this?" Makoto asked.

"Sure are," Joe answered, startling both girls. He was hidden behind a mound of pillows and Kaelan followed him with down comforters and fleece throws. "That's my mother's recipe. I hope you enjoy it."

The brunette gave a half-smile and set her cup down. "I'll have to savor it, then. Cloves make me sleepy. Need a hand?" She helped carry some of the bedding down to the gazebo, spreading it over the hardwood floor. From the outside it looked like a great bird's nest.

"Hello!" someone called. Kaelan looked up to see Rei, Mina and Ami enter the backyard. "Wow, this place looks like a fairy garden!" the copper blonde remarked. She smiled broadly at everyone, but when her eyes fell on the pale boy it weakened. "Hey," she said simply.

"I'm glad you could make it," he returned, not wanting to single her out. "There's food and drink inside, or you can sit by the fire if Mamoru ever gets it going."

"Most of this wood is damp! You should have covered it up."

"The weatherman said we'd have clear skies tonight." Kaelan turned his palms up. "Looks like he was right for once."

"There's still moisture in the air…" Mamoru muttered. He managed to arrange the driest logs into a pyramid.

Rei knelt beside him and placed her glasses on her head. "You forgot the kindling," she said softly. The boy groaned as she stuffed newspaper between the logs, then struck a match and blew on the flame. There wasn't even the slightest breeze that night, which was odd for November.

Everyone sat in chairs around the fire once it came to crackling life, their stomachs growling in anticipation as the scent of grilled beef filled the air. "I think it's ready!" Nicholas called, and they all but stampeded inside. As soon as they hit the counter, forks clashed for the most attractive cuts. They were followed by the scallop fettuccine, Mamoru's simple chikuzenni, and rye bread Kaelan had baked himself.

Usagi was the first to sample the steak. "It's sweet!" she exclaimed.

"But the charring and pepper make it savory," Rei commented. Everyone else nodded since their mouths were full.

Nicholas grinned. "So it's damn good is what I'm hearing. I'm glad I got to cook something real for a change."

Usagi then raised her eyebrows at her best friend. Makoto shook her head slightly and stared at her plate, prompting the blonde to begin meddling. "Hey Nicholas…" He looked up expectantly. "Remember when we first met? What were you doing at the plant sale?"

"Oh, that…" He pointed his fork at Zach. "He sent me to find something."

"What was it?"

"Some flowers to remind me of home," the blond boy answered. "Indian pink, hibiscus, iris, rain lily, things like that."

"In this climate, those plants would only survive in a greenhouse," Makoto remarked, "but luckily you have one of those now."

"You should give us a tour after dinner since we didn't get to see much of this place last time we were here." Ami's suggestion was heartily agreed to. She gave Zach a small smile, making him grin in turn at the chance to show off.

* * *

Mamoru, Rei and Joe were the last three to finish eating. Since everyone else was traipsing around the mansion they gathered the dishes, put them in the washer and stored all the leftovers, then went to the gazebo to get comfortable. "That was the best meal I've had in a while," the girl said. "I don't do much cooking in my apartment, and although the food at Bastyr is good, it's very…"

"Conventional?" Joe supplied.

She smiled. "Yes, and it's nice to have a home-cooked meal with diverse flavors." She blew on her cup of cider, dispersing the steam before taking a sip. "I love the cinnamon in this."

"Yeah?" The green-eyed boy scooted a little closer to her. "I'm glad everyone likes my mother's recipe. It's one of the few things I remember how to make." He suddenly turned bashful. "My father said cooking wasn't manly. I was always with him in the shop instead of helping my mother in the kitchen. But every Christmas I'd stay inside all day and cook with her. We made ham, bread and enough desserts to feed the neighborhood. Her cider always smelled the best, though. That was what got me out of bed in the morning."

"Are you going to see your family during winter break?" Rei asked.

Joe sighed. "Maybe. They've been saving up to fly me home since last month, but it's also insurance against horrible winter storms. Last year part of the roof collapsed on us, but me, my father and the shop guys patched it up."

Rei's hand rose consolingly to his shoulder. Until that moment she had been under the assumption that he was just another rich boy rebelling against strict parents. She thought his decision to study environmental science was to spite the people who wanted him to become a politician, but now she knew better. They weren't wealthy and haughty at all, just a hard-working couple who'd raised a very down-to-earth son.

Mamoru saw the look they were sharing and turned his attention to the inky skies above. Orion and Taurus were shining brightly while Leo was still near the horizon, but after a few minutes of staring he caught the faint flicker of a shooting star. He wondered why they were called that when they weren't actually stars. They were typically no more than space debris burning up in the atmosphere, yet it was only when one was firmly on the ground did the remains of comet Tempel-Tuttle become something to marvel at.

When the group of seven returned, they took off their shoes and snuggled into the blankets, Usagi making herself comfortable beside Mamoru. "I didn't realize how close this place was to the beach. I saw a little path leading to the water."

"Do you want to walk down there?" the boy asked.

"After I watch some meteoroids," she answered.

Nicholas lay on his stomach, supporting Makoto as she rested across his shoulders. Ami sat between her and Zach, who kept swatting at Mina's toes as she tickled his lower back. Eventually she gave up and leaned sideways to rest her head against Kaelan's chest. He wrapped an arm around her, running his fingertips just under the hem of her shirt. She admired his confidence.

The sky gave an unspoken command for them to remain silent. Nobody said a word for the first hour, but then the shooting stars started coming more frequently. Breaths of awe were punctuated with shouts of excitement when a particularly bright meteoroid lanced through the heavens. "I guess this would be a good time to make a wish!" Usagi said, hopping to her feet. "C'mon, Mamo-chan!"

She led him down the overgrown path to the beach, holding his hand tightly in case she tripped on a tree root. The path reached a steep cliff and became a set of stairs slick with moss and sea spray, but Usagi raced down them anyway. She picked her way across the rocky shore and finally came to a stop at the water's edge, letting waves brush her shoes while she stared upward. The meteoroids were falling at a rate of at least ten every few seconds, a celestial downpour across the northern hemisphere.

"Usako, look at the water!" Mamoru squeezed her fingers as she gasped at the magnified reflection of the sky. The meteor shower seemed just beyond her reach. If she took a step forward she could hold out her hand and catch one, even feel the heat of all the lights falling around her...

Mamoru escaped the mesmerizing sight just in time to prevent Usagi from entering the water. He pulled back with an unintentional strength that made her release a surprised shout as she fell against his chest. He caught her in his arms and for a moment they were statues, Mamoru taking deep breaths to quell his surge of terror and Usagi blinking slowly to bring her surroundings back into focus. She craned her neck to look up at his face. "What was that for, Mamo-chan?"

"You were about to… You almost…" He shook his head slightly. "That water's ice cold, Usako! What were you thinking?"

"I… I don't know." Her brow furrowed as she rotated in his arms. "For a second I thought it'd be like floating in space with all the stars around me." She also shook her head, banishing the strange idea. "That's crazy, isn't it?"

"Completely crazy. That water is cold enough to shock your system. If I hadn't been holding your hand, you would have barged right into it."

Usagi laughed at her own stupidity before gazing out at the Sound again. There weren't as many shooting stars now, but a mere minute ago the sky had blazed with streaks of white light. She sighed, wondering if she was a little out of it due to stressing over finals, and abruptly realized how tightly Mamoru was holding her. She flattened her palm against his chest, feeling his adrenalin-fueled heart beginning to calm. His arms relaxed but he didn't let her go just yet. She wasn't sure if she wanted him to.

"Usako, don't move…" Mamoru suddenly said.

"What? What is it?" Her eyes darted around the beach in search of a bear or cougar or some other ferocious animal, but she saw nothing. "What is it, Mamo-chan?"

He grinned at her. "Just hang on to me." She raised an eyebrow as he went to the water's edge, rolled up one sleeve of his jacket and plunged his hand into the waves.

"What are you doing?" When he didn't answer she grabbed onto the waistband of his black pants, finding she actually had to hold him back as he stretched even further over the water. "What are you looking for?" she demanded.

He suddenly straightened, making them both stagger backwards. "This!" He shook off the saltwater and his fingers unfurled to reveal a round, glimmering object. Usagi's eyes widened as he frowned. "Oh, I thought it was a shell."

She laughed at how disappointed he sounded. "It's beautiful, Mamo-chan! This is the prettiest make-up compact I've ever seen!" She gingerly took it from his hand and wiped away the remaining granules of sand. "It's so smooth and shiny, but I can't remember what this material is."

"Nacre, better known as mother-of-pearl," Mamoru provided. The compact glistened with a mixture of cream, ivory, and ecru hues, and he'd only spotted it because it was buried in the sand about two feet from where the girl had been standing.

Usagi ran a finger over the compact's slight lip. She knew it was an antique, maybe from the Victorian era, and wondered how it had washed up near shore. Perhaps it was a family heirloom someone lost while sailing out to the ocean, in which case she wanted to return it to its rightful owner. _'But Luna came to me just as mysteriously, and she didn't have an owner…'_ Her thumb unconsciously slipped beneath the edge of the lid and popped it open, soliciting a gasp.

A smooth white stone glistening with every color sat in the center of the compact. The lid was lined with reflective silver, like a natural mirror, and a split second after Usagi opened it, something fell out. "Oh wow…" She pinched a delicate silver chain between two fingers and held it at eye-level. The pendant was a thin conical version of the stone in the compact– opaque white with rainbow streaks spiraling down it. With great effort she tore her eyes from the bauble to give Mamoru an incredulous look. "Do you really want me to have this? It's probably worth hundreds of dollars."

"I don't need hundreds of dollars…" He took the pendant from her fingers and fastened it around her neck. Even against her snow-white sweater the stone stood out, and he thought the sheen of blue was the exact same shade as her eyes. "I would rather have you smile."

"Mamo-chan…" She blushed and turned from his intense gaze. His eyes were as dark as the waves lapping at the shore and just as compelling, making her worry about what might happen if she kept staring into them. So many odd things were occurring lately that Usagi wondered if she were experiencing a very realistic, drawn-out dream.

Mamoru seemed to be changing into someone much different than the boy she'd met at Amabie. He held his head a little higher and his shoulders back. He no longer stumbled over his words or looked at the ground when he spoke. Usagi reasoned that he wanted the makeover to project his new confidence. She had to transform his exterior to match the self-assured young man he was on the inside, leaving the awkward boy behind.

The young man in question was seriously considering kissing Usagi. She was the one who had fostered his new sense of self-acceptance, the one who taught him that he had to love himself before loving others. He wasn't sure if his feelings for the girl were that profound yet, but his heart always skipped a beat when he saw her. Her smile made him glow and the slightest touch lingered on his skin like a ghostly breath. He wanted something more substantial.

Mamoru became aware that the girl was shivering and quickly dismissed all notions of romantic gestures. "Let's go back," he said, gently tugging on her hand. "You can warm up by the fire." Usagi simply nodded and fell into step beside him. As they approached the gazebo she noticed there were only two people nestled among the blankets. Nicholas was still lying on his stomach and appeared to be asleep.

"Where did everyone go?" Usagi inquired.

Makoto pushed herself into a sitting position. "Oh, let's see… Mina and Kaelan went inside as soon as you two left, Rei and Joe returned to the conservatory to talk about medicine, and I'm not sure where Ami and Zach disappeared to.

"And you didn't want to get out of the cold?" The blonde refrained from making a joke about Nicholas keeping her warm.

"I figured it'd be mean to leave Nicholas all alone outside, so I was waiting for you to come back." She placed her palm between his shoulder blades and shook. "Time to wake up, sleeping beauty."

Nicholas gave a deep groan and rolled over. His pupils were so huge in the darkness that almost none of his brown irises were visible. "Ag, I didn't mean to pass out on every…" He lifted his head to look around. "Where is everyone?"

"They left," Makoto answered, "and I don't blame them 'cause it's freezing out here!" Now that she was separated from the boy's body heat, she shivered slightly.

"Help me up," he said, holding an arm in the air. Makoto wrapped her long fingers around his wrist and tugged, easily bringing him to his feet. He yawned and stretched, then the quartet gathered the blankets and pillows and returned to the warm interior of the mansion.

* * *

"Do you ever get angry with Mina?" Zach asked. He flopped onto his canopy bed to stare at the fabric while Ami stood next to his computer desk. They had come to his room so she could read some of the script for _Eternal Heart_, which she'd convinced Zach to show her.

Her sepia eyes flicked from the paper to him. "Angry about what?"

"This can't be the first time she's gone off with some guy and left you alone." Zach watched her reaction carefully, but to his surprise she just smiled.

"You're right, it's not. But for once I'm not alone– I'm here with friends, so there's nothing to be upset about." She paused, almost smirking. "I wonder what she'd think about me being in your room."

Zach flashed his signature grin. "Probably that we're up to no good… Or rather, up to something _very_ good." Ami actually laughed, hiding her pink cheeks behind the sheaf of papers. This was the first time she'd found his innuendo amusing. He got up, opened his door a crack and cleared his throat. "Oh Ami!" he shouted down the hall, "You are the light of my life, the fire of my loins!" He looked at her expectantly.

"Oh Zach, you have bewitched me, body and soul! I never wish to be parted from you from this day on!"

"Good one," he whispered, and abruptly closed his door when he saw Mina step out of Kaelan's room. "She actually heard us!" he snickered.

A moment later there was a knock on the door. "Ami-chan? Are you okay in there?"

"I'm fine! Just looking at Zach's collection of classic literature," she answered.

"Oh, okay. For a second it sounded like…" Ami snorted as she trailed off. "Never mind. I know you'd never let Zach seduce you."

"You are absolutely right about that." She heard Mina's footsteps retreat back down the hall and shot the boy a look of triumph.

"What did she say?" he asked, since their exchange was in Japanese.

Ami folded her arms and turned her nose in the air. "She asked if you had seduced me and I said there was no way on Earth that would ever happen."

Her smugness abruptly turned to apprehension as something dark flickered across Zach's visage. Although he was half a foot taller than her, his eyes became shadowed when he lowered his head and were as cold as the smile that turned his lips. He crossed the room quickly and silently, like a graceful predator, and even though Ami told herself not to be afraid of him she reflexively stepped back, but the desk prevented her retreat.

"What makes you believe that, exactly?" He came to a stop once he felt the prominent bones of her narrow hips pressing through his jeans. "Do you mean to say that I don't have the ability to seduce you, or that you are simply repulsed by me?"

"I don't mean either of those things," Ami said evenly. "I'm just not like Mina. I'm not really interested in romance."

"You can have sex without romance," he returned. "It's called lust."

"I don't feel that."

"But you are a _passionate_ person, Ami. That's all you need to have a good time."

"Well I don't want to have it with you!" She lifted her hands to push him away, but he caught them and held them against his chest. She was surprised to feel how steady his heart was beating.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because you're so… two-faced!" His eyes widened in shock and Ami knew she was in control of the situation now. "I don't even know who you are, Zach! One minute we're having an intelligent discussion and the next you're trying to coerce me into sleeping with you! I don't know if you're bipolar or hypersexual or what, but I'm _not_ attracted to it. And I'm through playing your immature head games!"

She shoved him aside and marched out the door, feeling the tiniest bit of remorse for resorting to name-calling. She was much more eloquent than that, but his audacity enraged her. The evening had been perfectly enjoyable until that moment, and now Ami needed to cool off.

* * *

**A/N**

_Chikuzenni is a dish in the nimono family. It consists of sauteed vegetables such as carrots, snow peas and Shiitake mushrooms seasoned with soy sauce, mirin, sake and dashi._

_When I say "the Sound", I mean the Puget Sound, naturally._

_Zach quotes Lolita and Ami quotes Pride & Prejudice._


	9. IX: Talisman

**Chapter Nine: Talisman**

Ami stripped down to her undergarments and drove into the pool. It was only about sixty degrees, but it was a sauna compared to the temperature outside. She hadn't turned on the overhead lights because she didn't want anyone to know she was there, instead navigating by the dim LEDs along the edge. When she reached the shallow end she flipped around and kicked off the tiled wall, traveling a few yards before breaking the surface again. After several laps she was no longer angry and did a slow scissor kick to the stairs. A dark figure near them made her stop suddenly and wipe the droplets from her eyes.

"Why didn't you try out for the team at UW?" Zach asked. He stood with his hands in the pockets of slim jeans.

Ami inched forward until she was no longer treading water. "I knew my course load would be too intense for me to make time for practice and meets."

"That's a real shame. You would have been a champion."

"I already proved myself in high school. I still hold a national record for the two-hundred meter breaststroke." Zach nodded slowly, impressed. "A lot of people said I could go on to the Olympics…" she whispered, yet her voice reverberated in the huge space, "but I chose academics instead. I knew I could only achieve perfection at one or the other."

"The Virgo prerogative," he chuckled.

Ami's nostrils flared. "And what are you, a Gemini?"

"Scorpio, actually. I'm a true Scorpio."

"What's the difference?"

Zach sat down, crossing his legs. "Kaelan told me there were actually thirteen signs in the Zodiac. Ophiuchus is the one between Scorpio and Sagittarius." Ami knew that because Sidereal astrology featured the thirteen constellations. "The sun is only in Scorpio for about a week and my birthday is right in the middle on November twenty-sixth. I don't really believe that a bunch of stars determine my personality, though." He tilted his head slightly. "Just so you know, my mother is a psychiatrist and never diagnosed me with bipolar or hypersexuality disorder."

Ami lowered her gaze in embarrassment. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry."

He shrugged it off. "You weren't entirely wrong– I _am_ two-faced. At first it was just an act of necessity, but I guess it became a mask I forgot how to take off."

"But which side of you _is_ the mask, Zach? Is the real you a talented artist, or is he an arrogant bigot who can't take no for an answer?"

"I'm… complicated," the boy sighed. "I'm not saying that to be dramatic. I wish I could stop being that two-faced guy, but I don't know how. Being around _you_ certainly doesn't help."

Ami surged forward to douse him with water but only succeeded in splashing his jeans. "Are you saying it's my fault you're such a jerk?"

"It's your fault for being who you are," he grinned, "which is someone I'm attracted to. I did say you were my type."

"No, you said all beautiful girls were… Oh." Amid this revelation was a swell of giddiness. _'He thinks I'm beautiful!'_ she thought before berating herself.

"I also have a thing for smart girls," Zach added, regarding her with a mischievous smile. She stared at him blankly, still stunned by his admission, and he stood up. "I promised you'd get to know the real me, and that's a promise I intend to keep. You'll just have to be a little patient with me."

Ami opened her mouth to make a comeback yet closed it a moment later. A part of her was unsure if she should trust him, but the scientist in her wanted to dissect Zach and discover the root of his many issues. The scientist was very patient.

* * *

"Wow, it's three in the morning," Makoto remarked upon glancing at the clock on the mantle. "Can we just call it quits?"

"No way, I'm totally winning!" Usagi stared at the Upwords board for a minute. She only had four tiles left and had given up consulting the dictionary as their words evolved to take up the entire ten-by-ten space. At the beginning of the last round, Makoto had turned "macro" into "hydro", which Nicholas had made into "hydraulic", which Mamoru had changed into "xylophone". Usagi now placed her remaining tiles atop his to spell…

"Cellophane!" Nicholas shouted. He banged a fist on the rug and slumped forward in defeat. "I'm done."

Mamoru quickly calculated her score. "Good job, Usako. You really did win. I'm second, Nicholas is third. Sorry, Makoto-chan."

She waved off her loss. "I'm tired. I wasn't expecting to do good at this game. Good night now." She crawled over to the same couch she'd slept on last time, which was in fact a hide-a-bed, and dragged herself up onto the mattress with a contented sigh.

Usagi settled into the other shorter couch as Mamoru stowed the game in a cabinet and Nicholas threw a few more logs on the fire. Since the house was insulated with aerogel, a little heat went a long way. They all bid each other good night and Usagi listened to the footsteps climbing the stairs. Mamoru's almost faded to nothing as he went to his room at the very end of the hall, but she heard Nicholas shuffling around for a few minutes before the mansion became completely still.

She felt wide awake despite having woken up at seven in the morning for her final. She had then spent most of the day at a seminar on textile innovations that were going to be implemented into the fashion design curriculum. After that she attended a workshop and created a doll-sized outfit from the many fabric samples available, then finally returned home a little after nine p.m. She should have been unconscious by now, but her thoughts were unusually chaotic.

The nacre compact seemed to provide a sense of calm. She held it in her dominant left hand and rubbed the smooth ridges with her thumb, like a worry stone. The cool exterior washed away all her random thoughts with the sensation of standing beneath a waterfall. When Usagi opened the compact firelight danced across the opaque stone, mesmerizing her for a moment, and then something else fell out.

Her free hand instantly flew to the pendant on her chest, finding it still in place, then she carefully picked up the new one. Attached to a white-gold chain was a marquise-cut gem the color of goldenrod. Makoto suddenly stirred. "Hm? What did you say, Usa-chan?"

"I didn't say anything," the blonde whispered.

"You didn't? I thought I heard you muttering just now… Something about a storm."

Usagi just shook her head in confusion. She glanced at the pendant again and inexplicably knew it was meant for Makoto. "Hey Mako-chan, catch!" Her friend looked up groggily as she grinned and tossed the trinket to the other couch.

"What's this?" the brunette asked.

"An early present, since I'll be gone during your birthday."

"Wow, Usa-chan…" Makoto fastened it around her neck and marveled at the deep yellow stone. "Where and when did you get this? We always shop together."

"I got it… a long time ago," Usagi answered. "I forgot I had it until recently." Even though she pulled the lie out of thin air, it sounded completely truthful as it left her lips. She felt oddly nostalgic as she examined her pendant again. Did it resemble costume jewelry she used to play with? Had she seen similar pieces on the Home Shopping Network or in Nordstrom's fine jewelry department?

No. It seemed more familiar than that. The weight of her necklace was ingrained in her skin as if she had always worn it. The clarity provided by the compact was something she had sought quite often, especially after a fight with her parents. She knew that Makoto's trinket was charged with energy and there was a way to unleash it. Words were coming to mind but they were in a language Usagi couldn't quite grasp.

In frustration she closed the compact with a snap and let it fall to the floor. However, she snatched it back up as something rattled within. Usagi's first thought was that the stone had come loose, but popping it open revealed yet _another_ necklace, a princess-cut ruby on a gold chain. She hastily closed and opened it a dozen more times, but after the eighth necklace fell into her lap the compact stopped dispensing them.

Each consisted of a colorful gem attached to a chain of gold or silver. There were a few stones Usagi couldn't name, including the shimmery white one around her neck, but Mamoru had mentioned that as an amateur geologist Joe might be able to identify them. Usagi left the couch with a rainbow of jewels dangling from one wrist and crept upstairs to knock on Joe's door. When he didn't answer she stuck her head inside and found an empty bed illuminated by a small lamp, which meant he was likely still awake somewhere in the mansion. Locating him would at least provide a few answers tonight.

* * *

"Lilies…" Rei brushed the petals of an enormous flower before turning to face Joe. "I love lilies, especially these white ones. Lilium casa blanca."

"Do you want me to cut some for you?" the boy offered. He stepped closer as that section's sprinkler system turned on, misting the aisle in addition to their clothes.

"No, you should let them keep growing." She moved on to calla lilies and iris, brushing all the waxy petals with two fingers as if feeling their energy channels.

Joe fiddled with the training stakes of a young tree. "You know, we've already been here for over an hour. I'm sure we missed the end of the meteor shower."

"It was a bit too cold out there for me," Rei answered. "I like it in here."

"You don't think it's too humid? This is a _tropical_ greenhouse."

"Japan gets very humid during the summer—"

"So it reminds you a little of home," he smiled. "It seems like all of us are missing our families lately."

"Except for those who don't have any…" Rei sighed. "Mamoru and Makoto are orphans."

"Then I guess it'd be better for them to stay where they have friends." Joe felt a wave of relief when she nodded in agreement. He knew very little about Rei so he didn't want to offend her. Earlier that night she had asked if he was going home for the holidays, and judging by the way she sighed just now he thought family might be an issue for her, so he knew not to mention it. Plants and weather were safe subjects for the time being. "So… why do you like Casablanca lilies so much?"

Rei took off her glasses but didn't look back at him, staring at some orchids instead. "They're beautiful in a simple way. As a girl I wanted to walk down the aisle on my wedding day with a bouquet of pure white lilies."

"Ah, wedding fantasies…" Joe chuckled slightly. "In my hometown, it's not only little girls who dream them up."

"Don't tell me _you_ have one," Rei also laughed.

"I don't have too many details, but I'm determined to get married outside. Maybe the bride and I will stand beneath a fancy arbor. Maybe it will be at night, near a river, with lanterns floating downstream and hanging from the trees. I think I want to wear a white tuxedo instead of black. I want our first newlywed dance to be to Antonin Dvorak's 'Silent Woods'."

The girl raised one of her slim eyebrows at him. "That's many more details than I have planned for my wedding."

Joe grinned sheepishly. "Well, I only started thinking about it so much because my parents kept badgering me about finding the 'right girl'. If they really forced me to marry for money, the least they could do would be to indulge the setting I want."

Rei went "hmm" and returned to the flowers before her, but she didn't see any of them through a veil of tears. _Her_ parents had married for social standing. What if her mother's loveless union had aggravated her sickness? She always had to appear a certain way for the media and was always stressing about what people would think. If she had married someone she really loved, she would have been happy. She could have fought harder to live because her life would have been worth it.

Rei wasn't so selfish to believe that she was a reason worth living for. She was an accident, after all. She hadn't been born of love despite what her father claimed to feel for her mother. She knew she was nothing more than an inconvenience, but now she was on her own. As soon as she earned her degree and could begin practicing acupuncture, she would be completely cut off from her old life and everyone in it. She could fill it with new people who really cared about her, people like Makoto and Ami and Joe…

Her tears were abruptly blinked away as something soft, warm and slightly damp landed on her cheek. Rei focused on the boy standing directly in front of her and found him looking on concernedly. "Are you all right? You got quiet all of a sudden, then I saw that you were crying."

"Did you just… kiss me?" Rei asked quietly.

His fair complexion immediately reddened. "Well, yeah… Kisses are supposed to make people feel better." His blush spread to his neck and ears as Rei remained silent. The only action she made was to touch the spot where his lips had been. Even his chest began to grow hot as her reddish brown eyes bore into the graphic on his t-shirt.

"Hey Joe! Are you in here?"

They jumped apart and turned toward the door to see Usagi waving and smiling broadly. They approached her together, noticing several sparkling objects dangling from her wrist, and Rei hung back a little as an odd sensation made her palms break out in a sweat. Usagi's big blue eyes glanced between the duo and an impish smile turned her lips. _'Don't say anything about us…'_ the black-haired girl mentally urged Joe.

As if he'd received the message, he commented on the necklaces instead. "What are you doing with those?"

Usagi held them up proudly. "They're early Christmas gifts! I was hoping you could tell me what these gemstones are. I want to give the right one to each of my friends." She selected the ruby and handed it to Rei. "I know this one belongs to you."

"Thank you, Usagi-chan." She put it on while Joe leaned down for a closer look.

"This isn't lab-created. It must have cost you a fortune, Usagi!" She shrugged and surrendered the necklaces. Joe marveled at them for a moment, noting how well the shapes suited each stone, and wondered if the blonde had stolen them somehow. He named each gem while handing them back to her. "Emerald, diamond, sapphire, amethyst, aquamarine, black opal, peridot, and sunstone."

"What about the one I'm wearing?" she asked.

"That's moonstone. Those colors are caused by light diffraction through separate layers of orthoclase and albite." He checked the time on his watch and sighed. "It's a quarter 'til four in the morning. We should really get some sleep."

"Thanks a lot, Jo-kun!" Usagi waved and ran out of the conservatory.

The boy dragged a hand down his face. "I don't understand how she has so much energy."

"If you were tired you should have gone to bed earlier," Rei gently chided.

"You needed someone to stop those tears from falling," Joe returned, half-smiling at her slight gasp. "I hope I didn't cause them, and I'm sorry if I did. I can be a clueless idiot sometimes."

"They weren't your doing. I started thinking about things better left forgotten."

"Well, you can always talk to me if you remember them again. You know where to find me." An expression of surprised relief greeted his statement and Joe tried hard to keep his features neutral. He knew he had jarred Rei from her typically stoic demeanor tonight and hoped she wouldn't be scared off by his openness. Perhaps kissing her cheek had been too bold.

"Thank you for the offer," the girl said simply. They climbed the stairs and paused simultaneously at the landing. Rei wanted to talk to him right now and get everything that had been tormenting her for years off her chest. She knew he was a good listener, but part of her was afraid of being judged. If she told Joe about her family and childhood, he'd learn that they shared little of the same values. And if he knew who her father was, he would probably hate her.

The girl cleared her throat softly. "Good night, Josef. Thank you again… for everything."

"Oh, you're welcome. You can call me Joe, you know." He winced at the rhyme.

"I like Josef better," she smiled, then bowed her head and started for the stairs at the end of the hall.

Joe stood in place for a moment, grinning to himself like a fool, before entering his room. His full name had an attractive ring to it coming from Rei.

* * *

Mina opened her eyes to see that Kaelan's grey gaze was directed at the velvet canopy above. His brow was furrowed slightly, but the arm around her shoulder wasn't tense at all; he appeared to be lost in thought. After staring at him for a minute, he turned onto his side and smiled wearily. "You didn't sleep?" she asked.

"No. I've never been able to sleep when there's a celestial event going on. Meteor showers, passing comets, auroras… Lunar eclipses are the worst. During those I get really anxious and can't focus on anything."

"That's kind of weird," Mina said.

"What's weird is that you were talking in your sleep," Kaelan returned. "You said you had to save a princess but you weren't strong enough because you lost the heart."

Mina gave a short laugh. "That _is_ strange. I don't think I've ever spoken a dream out loud before. Ami would have told me." She rolled over and pressed her back against Kaelan's chest, smiling as his other arm automatically went around her waist. His bare skin and toned muscles felt nice, and he also smelled good. His breath on her neck was warm and his steady heartbeat soon lulled her back to sleep.

She experienced her dream with absolute clarity this time. She looked down to see pale yellow fabric billowing in a gentle breeze. At her feet was a carpet of small white flowers stretching several miles in every direction. Off to her left in the distance was a domed white building glistening in the light of the dying sun. She craned her neck to examine the sky, but instead of familiar clouds dotting a blue canvas she saw a dark grey veil with winking stars beyond, seemingly close enough to touch. Upon facing forward she drew in a breath of awe. She had presumed the sun was setting on Earth, but Earth was looming at the edge of the flower field, rising from the horizon like a giant blue marble. Beneath whorls of white clouds she could see brown patches of land.

_"Cordie!"_ someone called. Mina turned toward a woman she instinctively knew as Ami despite her completely different appearance. _"I have divined the location of the Princess. The council awaits you."_

_"Thank you, Pronoia, although I feel this meeting is nothing more than a formality. We all know the only way to retrieve her will be by force. Are your people still unwilling to stand with us?"_

Ami's avatar nodded once. _"It was not their decision, it was mine. I have seen many things in this orb,"_ she gestured to a white sphere hanging from her belt, _"including the destruction of my planet if we engage Terra. My people are scholars, not warriors."_

_"We could use strategists on the battlefield,"_ Mina returned. _"With the Eye in our midst, the Terrans will make no move that we are not already aware of. The battle will be over quickly. Casualties will be minimal."_

Mina wondered what her avatar was talking about. Everything went black like she'd fallen asleep within her own dream, and when she opened her eyes she was quickly descending through the clouds. Her head spun with vertigo but her avatar appeared not to be affected. There was something heavy weighing her down– a round shield strapped to her right arm. As she became aware of the dream's surroundings she realized there was a sword in her left hand, a helmet on her head and a breastplate over the same flowing yellow dress.

She shoulder-to-shoulder with other men and women in armor. Bronze, silver and gold glittered in the dim lighting of the vessel they stood in. It suddenly dawned on her that she was on a warship heading into battle with Terra, whatever that was. Another fast-forward placed her in the middle of the fight. Metallic ringing, battle orders and death cries surrounded her. There was blood on her sword and clothing. Wooden shafts stuck out of her shield where a few steel arrowheads had pierced it. She paused for a moment to survey the field, spotting a woman in a red gown decimating enemy ranks with missiles from a flaming bow. A green-garbed woman struck the ground with her staff, instantly dropping a hundred soldiers with bolts of white lightning.

Her allies in red, green and white appeared to be winning the battle. Mina led her personal unit toward the high ground, hoping to find an enemy commander, and was not disappointed when she arrived. A man in silver and green armor came forward to meet her, ordering his guards to stand down. Mina told her unit to do the same and strode right up to him, nearly brushing his breastplate with her own. _"I'm honored that you have come to kill me personally," _he said.

_"I will let you live, Kunzite, if you release Selene,"_ the woman stated. _"She belongs on Luna with her family and her people."_

The man shook his helmeted head. _"This proves how little you know. Princess Selene has chosen to stay here with my lord. She loves this planet and all life on it."_ He pointed across the battlefield at the other two female generals. _"You and your allies have been deceived. Luna has long sought to conquer us, and they lied to you to unite you against us."_

_"You__ are the one who is trying to deceive me!"_ Mina spat. _"If Selene truly desired to live here, why would she inform no one of her decision?"_ She gripped her sword tighter as Kunzite relinquished his own weapon. _"If you know where Selene is, you must take me to her at once!"_

_"That I will do,"_ he said with a bow, _"as soon as you order your allies to cease their attack."_

The dream skipped forward yet again, presenting Mina with a dark corridor illuminated by softly glowing orbs. As she followed the silver-armored man deep underground she began to shiver. When she looked back she was surprised to see the women in green and red trailing her. _"If this is a trap, I will ensure nothing remains of you but ashes,"_ the latter hissed.

_"I am a man of my word,"_ Kunzite calmly stated. _"My lord and your lady have taken refuge in a sacred place known only to a few."_

_"And now it will be known to us,"_ said the woman with the lightning staff. _"Your prince is either very trusting or very foolish to reveal the heart of his kingdom."_ He did not reply to this comment, instead placing his hand on a golden sphere at the end of the hall. Everything around them quaked and shuddered, then a white portal opened up in the wall before them.

_"Take my hand and do not let go,"_ Kunzite said. Without questioning him, Mina grabbed his gauntleted fingers. There was a brief, intense pain that made her cry out, and when it receded she felt herself falling again. Wind was rushing through her gown and hair; she desperately tried to open her eyes but they remained shut, and all she could see through her lids were myriad colors. Robbed of sight, scent and hearing, she squeezed her left hand and was relieved to feel the faintest grip in return.

She came to an abrupt halt and was almost afraid to see where they had arrived. _"Cordie!"_ someone shouted. It was the same nickname Ami had used but the voice was different. Mina finally opened her eyes and saw Usagi running toward her; however, she had ridiculously long white-blonde hair done up in twin buns and was wearing a white and gold gown. After they exchanged a hug, Mina noticed someone else approaching, a man in deep blue and silver regalia, who oddly reminded her of Mamoru.

This man knelt before the newcomers. _"Princess Enyo of Mars, Princess Nemesis of Jupiter, and Princess Verticordia of Venus. I welcome you to Elysium."_

_"Prince Endymion of Terra,"_ Nemesis, whose powerful voice sounded like Makoto's, greeted coldly. _"We have come to negotiate the return of Selene."_

Selene and Endymion exchanged a surprised look. _"Where am I to return to?"_ the girl asked.

_"To your home, of course,"_ Enyo answered. She had the same jet-black hair as Rei. _"The armies of the inner planets, save Mercury, have joined forces to remove you from the clutches of these vile Terrans."_

_"Watch what you speak here, Enyo,"_ said a forceful male voice. Mina watched another silver-armored man come to stand behind the prince. He wasn't wearing a helmet, thus revealing eyes so vividly green that Mina was almost transfixed by them, and pointed a wicked-looking crossbow at Enyo. _"Your flame has no power in this place."_

_"You presume I am at your mercy?"_ she retorted, drawing twin daggers from the jagged folds of her gown. The man aimed his crossbow bolt directly between her eyes.

_"Stand down, Jadeite,"_ Endymion commanded. His subordinate begrudgingly stepped back while lowering the weapon. Selene looked positively terrified and Kunzite released a nervous breath. Endymion held up his hands to mediate the situation. _"Ladies of the Inner Alliance, I believe there has been a misunderstanding. Why have you brought your armies to Terra?"_

_"Because you abducted her!"_ Enyo shouted, indicating Selene. _"She has been held prisoner for weeks!"_

Endymion took up one of the Lunar princess' pale hands in an almost dainty manner. _"As you can see, that is not the case. Selene is not being held against her will."_

_"Let her speak for herself,"_ Nemesis demanded.

The fair-haired girl looked at each of her allies in turn before lowering her head apologetically. _"I am sorry to have caused such turmoil. You must know that Endymion and I are… Well, to put it simply, I love him with all my heart and soul."_ Although Nemesis and Enyo dropped their jaws, Mina was not surprised by this information. _"I have been coming here to see him for a long time, but the only one who knew was—"_

_"Pronoia…"_ Mina finished, sounding hurt. _"Why did you not trust us?"_

_"I wish I had,"_ Selene said. _"If you knew, this war never would have happened."_ She now gazed at them imploringly. _"You must know that Endymion and I were to be wed today. With our union, peace could exist among the Inner Alliance. I informed my family of my actions, but I now know that they lied when they said they would honor a treaty with Terra."_

_"It __was__ King Hyperion who first informed us that you were missing…"_ Nemesis said.

_"And when we questioned your mother, she had nothing to say on the subject,"_ Enyo added. _"Do you think she was ordered to withhold the truth from us?"_

_"I would not put it past my father…"_ Selene muttered. _"He has long spoke of the resources we could gain from Terra."_

_"Then you must be wed this instant!"_ Mina declared. _"Once our armies, including that of Luna, see that you and Endymion are united, they will learn of Hyperion's selfish reasons for this false war."_

* * *

Mina knew the dream was almost over and presumed it would end on a happy note. She was now standing on a marble step just below Endymion and Selene's podium. Across from her stood Kunzite, who had finally removed his helmet to stoically survey the ceremony. Behind him were Endymion's other three generals, and the princesses of Mars, Jupiter and Mercury were situated behind Mina. A priestess of Elysium named Khamyne approached the podium, her deep sepia skin contrasted by blue eyes even brighter than Princess Selene's. She began to officiate, but Mina didn't hear the words because she was transfixed by how blissful Selene looked. It still hurt her that she had only trusted Pronoia with her secret relationship, but Mina reasoned the Princess of Mercury would have known about it anyway thanks to her artifact, the Eye of the Universe.

Khamyne filled a golden chalice with water from a nearby fountain and instructed the prince and princess to grasp it together. _"This water feeds into the oceans, lakes and rivers Terrans depend on to survive, but they would not exist if Luna were not presiding over their movements. As these two celestial bodies work together in harmony, so must you two maintain harmony in your union. Selene, drink the life water of Terra."_ She did, then handed the chalice to the prince. _"Endymion, drink the watery life from Luna."_

Just as he brought the golden cup to his lips, a wild shout rang out that brought a sudden halt to the proceedings. Another priestess, one with wavy red hair, was rushing toward them. _"Endymion, stop!"_

Mina could hardly believe what happened next.

The priestess ran up the steps between the stunned bridesmaids and groomsmen. She came to a stop before the princess, who recoiled from her crazed expression, and drew a knife from her bodice. _"For Terra!"_ the woman shouted, and plunged the blade into Selene's chest.

_"Beryl, nooo!"_ Endymion wailed. He grabbed her by the wrists and shoved her off the podium.

_"BETRAYER!"_ Enyo screamed. A tiny red flame sparked to life in her palm, transforming into a white-hot crescent the next second. _"DIE!"_ She aimed her elemental bow at Endymion and released the string. A millisecond later she was shot in the shoulder by Jadeite, and before she could turn on him she was knocked to the ground by another general.

Mina unsheathed her sword and ran it through Beryl as soon as she saw the knife, then had to shield herself from the intensity of Enyo's arrow. When her vision cleared she discovered that the prince was not dead– Khamyne had thrown herself in front of him and was now a charred corpse scattering to the wind.

Upon turning around she saw that Enyo, Pronoia and two of the generals were dead. Nephrite, the largest of Endymion's generals, hefted his two-handed sword high to cleave Mina in half, but fell himself as Nemesis angled her staff toward him and summoned a bolt of lightning powerful enough to vaporize him. However, she couldn't control such raw elemental energy and was struck down by it the next instant.

Mina watched all of her friends die in less than a minute. She was nearly paralyzed with horror; the only sound that penetrated the blood rushing in her ears was Endymion's sobbing. With four of the five planetary princesses murdered, the annihilation of Terra was certain– the Outer Alliance would see to that.

_"It is hopeless…"_ She blinked rapidly to focus on Kunzite, finding him on his knees before her. _"When none of the princesses return, their armies will destroy us. Since my death is inevitable, I'd rather it be by your hand."_

_"What are you saying?"_ Mina's voice and grip on her sword wavered. _"We are still alive. We can explain this…"_

_"No, we cannot. Two priestesses are dead– their loss will be felt across the entire planet. You'll be killed as soon as you return to the surface. Your allies will assume I lured the princesses here to have them slain at the behest of Endymion, and the Grand Council will have him executed."_ Kunzite gave a single dry laugh. _"This place is a grave for all of us."_

_"I am not going to kill you!"_

_"Then I'll do it myself…"_ He snatched the sword out of her hand, a slender crystalline weapon given to Verticordia by Selene when Venus joined the Inner Alliance, and drove the blade through his midsection, holding her gaze all the while. Mina slumped to the ground, unable to sever his gaze as she watched the life fade out of him.

_"My friends... My love..."_ Endymion whispered hoarsely. When he glanced at Mina she saw only anguish and despair in his eyes, the look of a man who had nothing left to live for. She then noticed Beryl's knife in his hand and had to turn away as the once noble prince stuck it into his own chest, joining everyone he held dear in death.


End file.
